The Seventh City
by madliv
Summary: Follow Jim Hawkins as he travels to find an infamous treasure and the adventures that follow him thereafter as he sets off to conquer the Seventh City. Featuring numerous crossovers; Ariel, Jim, Silver, Smee, Eris, Hades, Kida, and more!
1. One: The Cove

The Seven Cities

The ship slowed to a halt, a splash heard as the anchor was thrown down. The chains rattled like a great metal snake as it followed the anchor down to the bottom of the ocean where it would bring the ship to a complete stop. The sun peeked out from beneath a thin cover of clouds to add a little light to the otherwise grey day. Captain Silver limped down from the Captain's quarters to the deck to join the rest of the crew. At the sound of the familiar rise and fall of Silver's peg leg, Jim looked up. A surly expression had turned his other wise pleasant face sour; his face had held that bitter mask since the day after the storm, when Silver had returned to the ship telling them all of Hook's 'tragic' accident. The moment Silver began his speech to the crew, Jim turned his face down and turned all of his attention to the mop in his hand; he had heard enough of Silver's lies.

Another island stood just a few miles away. This island had mountains too, tall ones covered in a lush green. The beach was clear white sand framed by tall green trees and a jungle that promised all sorts of treasure and adventure. Despite all of this, Jim could not find it in himself to get excited by the view. The reason they were there was dark and he knew if Hook was still alive, he would never have agreed to it. On the opposite side of the island there was an inlet called Mermaid's Cove. Ever since Hook had told him about going after the treasure of the island Eilon, Jim had been looking forward to going to Mermaid's Cove and seeing this place that only existed in dreams. The treasure of Eilon was a legend, one that Hook had not been afraid to go after. Eilon was an island that was said to have a cave that housed the treasure of 'to and fro the Seven Cities'. No one really understood the riddle of to and fro, only that the cave must keep safe a treasure trove to trump them all if treasure from all the Seven Cities were kept there.

The Seven Cities were the Seven original. These cities created by the gods had housed the first of civilization and had existed for eons. Most were abandoned now, taken over by monster or the ghosts of those who had fallen there. There were some Cities that had become dark and twisted and yet others that thrived without human contact; paradises that had fallen from the maps. Still others continued to function beneath the hold of the humans that raised them. One such city was the capital, Palisade. The cave on Eilon was a treasure many knew of yet none were crazy enough to believe actually existed; it was the El Dorado of that world. Captain Hook had believed in its existence and after years of searching had taken them to the island where the map leading to Eilon was. Silver had the map now and he had lead them to Mermaid's Cove to gather the rest of what he needed before they set off for Eilon.

Many nights, Jim and Hook had discussed Eilon and the treasure; what they would do with it, how they would split it; they imagined the monsters that guarded it and how they would get past them. Jim had not yet forgotten their talk of how to get into the cave itself; the story of the cave on Eilon said that a mermaid's blood would be needed to open the cave. Hook had told Jim that there on Mermaid's Cove he would lure a mermaid forward and gather a vial of her blood, it would be enough to open the cave. Jim still remembered his rasping, devious laugh as he'd told him,

"We'll need to get out of there fast you'll see, boy! Ol' Triton will come after us quick as he can, I'll bet my left hand!" Jim shook his head, not able to get rid of the sound of Hook's laughter. Hook had wanted to trick a mermaid and steal from her some blood. Silver wanted to kidnap a mermaid and kill her upon reaching Eilon.

"To be sure," Silver had told him with a wink. Jim felt his face harden at the thought. Silver would never be half the pirate Hook was.

A splash on the left side of the ship brought him out of his memories. Jim's head flew up, eyes wide. A pirate beside him, Thurl, smacked him on his back and gave a short laugh.

"Sour face today, Jim!" He exclaimed.

"Just like erry other!" Another pirate, Toadstool, jumped in; his laugh like the cry of a gull.

Silver's leg thumped on the deck again, gathering their attention. Jim angrily stuffed his mop back into its bucket, sloshing water all over his boots. His lip curled and he twisted the mop, soaking up the mess he had made. In front of the rest of the crew, motioning towards the row boat that would take the first group of pirates out to Mermaid's Cove, Silver gave out the orders again to make sure everyone was clear. The first group would go in and carefully scout the area, the second would be walking to meet them on shore and when they gave the signal, the rest of the crew would pull up the anchor and sail towards the inlet; there they would capture the mermaid that was farthest from the west side of the inlet; cornering her between the shore and the reef that extended out into the ocean on the east side. Listening despite not wanting to, Jim would have had to admit it was a good plan; had it not been the wrong one. Hook had known better than to capture a mermaid; never would he have dreamt of killing one of them. Of course, they were monsters-waiting to lure in unwary sailors to their deaths, but they were mythical creatures, creatures of the gods and therefore were not meant to be killed, let alone dragged out to be slaughtered.

The row boats were lowered and Jim felt his stomach drop with them. If Hook were alive...

"What if, if, if, but," he muttered under his breath. _If Hook were alive, everything would be different. It does no good thinking over 'what if's,_ he told himself. He mopped with more anger and scoured the deck of any dirt. The ship was just about gleaming when the signal came, a gunshot from somewhere off the shore. His arms jerked as if the shot had been aimed at him. He muttered some more curses before throwing the mop down. With the rest of the crew he helped to lift the anchor and hoist the sails. They were off, whether he liked it or not. Still, as the wind picked up and began to run through his hair he took in a deep breath of the salty sea air and felt himself at home. Even without Hook, this was the place for him. The worry in his stomach about the mermaid did not disappear but it lessened and he looked out onto the oncoming cove with wide, excited eyes. Toadstool stepped up next to him and they both leaned out over the front of the boat, so low that the wooden figure head was next to their faces; flat expression watching the events as they took place.

Toadstool was the first to jump down, he rushed to grab the net from the deck and hoist it over the side. Jim heard them yelling his name and left his post. The moment he took up the net in his hands, the pit in his stomach returned. Toadstool shot him a toothless grin and helped him with his part of the net. Toadstool motioned for him to look out into the cove and together they turned their eyes to a place that many others only dreamed of.

The Mermaid's Cove was surrounded by lush vegetation, trees heavy with exotic fruits and flowers bursting from the undergrowth in a rainbow of bright colours. Pops of sun-bright yellow and summer-sky blue emerged from the endless green that slowly gave way to the white sand that looked as if it would be soft underfoot. Flawless the beach gently lowered until it was kissing the aquamarine surf that was lapping up to greet it. The impossibly blue waters broke against deep purple rocks that rose from the ocean and glittered in the sunlight that filtered through the clouds overhead. And on the rocks...Jim could hardly believe his eyes. Toadstool slapped him on the back again, the shock letting him know that it was real, _they_ were real. Mermaids.

Their long tails shimmered with each movement in an array of colours as varied and bright as the flowers on the shore. Flawless skin reflected the sun's light, they moved back towards the water as they caught sight of the ship. Jim extended one hand, they had no need to fear him. Silver's cutting voice came from overhead as he shouted orders. Jim quickly retracted his hand, face once again sour and hard. These magnificent creatures had every reason to fear him.

Screams erupted from the bank of the shore; the mermaids there had found the crewmates that had landed upon the island and where trying to wade into the cove with a net. Jim watched half in horror, half in fascination as the incredible beauties that had seemed so innocent upon the rocks tore into the pirates. The ship was too far away for him to see any details but he could hear the pirates scream and saw the flash of swords as they were unsheathed yet the mermaids did not stop their onslaught. Silver shouted again and the deck was alive with movement but Jim remained frozen against the side of the boat, entranced. The mermaids lashed out and retreated, disappearing into the water that was no longer calm but foaming red. They left the pirate crew dead in the sand; the ocean water dyed red with their blood lapping at their sides. The boat lurched beneath him and he fell from his post. Toadstool grabbed his arm before he pitched right off the edge and pulled him back.

"Thanks," Jim said, breathless. Toadstool grunted, his eyes as big as saucers. Without another word he shoved a long sword into Jim's hands. Jim nearly dropped it, he was so shocked.

"I can't use this!"

"You're going to have to, boy," Toadstool said, voice high. He swallowed and turned back to face the side of the boat. The sun was setting and it cast the world before them a bloody red. The ocean foamed with the blood, the shore's immaculate white sands were stained and the row boat was overturned. Jim saw turbulence in the water; heading straight for them. Silver was still yelling over head from the captain's deck. The sword in his hands felt light. Jim grabbed the handle and swung it, testing its weight. Still light, even though the metal was sturdy. He swung again, slicing the curved blade through the air as if it were nothing. Toadstool nodded and ran up to do Silver's bidding. Jim turned from the Captain. The sun flashed off the metal of his sword and in the flash he saw the deaths of his fellow crew mates at the hands of the monsters in the Cove. He lifted the sword again and ran for the labyrinth of ropes that was attached to the main mast. Without another thought he jumped up and caught one. Shouts from the remaining crew protested his actions but he ignored them and, deftly catching the next swinging rope and using his free hand, hoiseted himself upwards. There was a rope ladder waiting for him where he had lifted himself and, wary of his blade, he climbed it. The crew's protests were growing dim as they turned their attention back to the issue at hand; the mermaids were getting close.

_At least he had the sense to attack during the day,_ Jim thought. Turning his face to the dying sun his lip curled up in a snarl. _But not enough to attack at dawn. _The memories of his talks with Hook were eerily clear in his mind. He hacked away at one rope while gripping another and the night he had spent talking to Hook about mermaids came back to him.

"Devious little buggers," Hook had said, taking a deep breath from his pipe. He blew smoke rings into Jim's face, making him cough. "But nothing like the monsters they become at night. Those sirens in the moonlight," The captain had shuddered, his pipe glowing bright orange in his left hand. "No Jim, best attack at dawn. The beauties won't expect it and that's when to get them, off guard. It'll be hard but we'll manage. Than we'll run out of there like, well like Triton's at our backs-which you can bet any barnacle he will be," Jim had looked up into the night sky, imagining how the beautiful mermaids he had always heard of turned into beasts underneath the moon's gaze.

"Have you ever seen a mermaid, Captain?" Jim had asked, keeping his eyes rested on the moon. Hook took so long to reply Jim thought he had fallen asleep, as he was prone to do when he was smoking his pipe late at night. When Jim turned back to the Captain however he found him puffing out small little smoke rings furiously; one right after the other. His eyes were distant and his hook shook.

"Twice, Jim. First time I was sailing, second I was on the Cove itself," his voice was low and full of an emotion Jim couldn't identify. Jim said nothing, knowing that if the Captain wanted to tell him more, he would. As it turned out the Captain didn't want to tell him anymore and the moon had moved far in the sky before they went off to bed to prepare themselves for another day manning the ship. Just before they went their separate ways though Hook's hand, no longer wrapped around his pipe, fell onto Jim's shoulder. Jim had looked up at the Captain, taking in his long, thin moustache and huge red hat.

"Never forget seeing those mermaids, Jim. Best memories I've got," His eyes were distant again, voice low. Jim shivered and dared ask;

"I thought they were monsters, Captain?" It was another moment before Hook collected himself. He clapped his hand on Jim's shoulder and stepped back, a hollow laugh escaping beneath his fine moustache.

"Terrible monsters," he confirmed, eyes still glazed. "But beautiful, terribly beautiful," he whispered.

"Jim! Get down from there!" a shout from below startled him from his flash back. The rope in his hand had been cut. Shaking his head he reached out in search of the next one. The boat gave another frightful lurch. There! He reached for the rope, dangling right before him. His sword flashed, catching the last of the sun's crimson rays.

The ship leaned to the side and Jim jumped from the mast, anticipating the violent shudder as the main staysail and its mast fell to the left side. The crew shouted and scrambled to avoid being crushed by the swinging of the mast. Jim caught a swinging rope and felt a sharp shot of pain as his arm struggled to keep the rest of him from plunging into the mermaid infested waters. The sail fell into the water and the sound of it being shredded by the murderous mermaids below made his stomach turn. He nearly dropped his sword as he shimmied back up the main mast than jumped down again. He landed upon the deck in a roll, all the while wary of where his blade was. Toadstool caught his arm as he stood, dizzy from his fall. They exchanged a look and together ran to the side of the boat, grabbing the net they had thrown over earlier. Toadstool deftly climbed down and over, using the netting as a ladder. Another pirate, Dacks, saw what they were doing and joined Toadstool on the side of the boat. Jim heaved the netting upwards with all his strength but felt it slip. He shouted for help and two other pirates who were quick to react to Jim's tossing of the staysail joined him. Together the three of them held the net until they heard Toadstool's loud voice cursing up at them. Dacks shouted, than his voice turned shrill and he screamed. Jim shouted out and in unison the three pirates heaved the net upwards. The sun had completely faded, an eerie twilight over taking them. Jim shouted for more help and with his shout the net seemed to become lighter. He turned his head and two more pirates were helping to pull Toadstool, Dacks and hopefully their quarry upwards. The angry rush of water that was being churned by the mermaids' tails softened until it disappeared. Dacks fell onto the deck, bleeding and sputtering; he had lost an ear. Toadstool soon followed. Last to cross the deck was a figure that shone creamy white in the ghostly half-light, and glittered where the flawless skin became a tail made of radiant emerald scales. A mermaid.


	2. Two: The Captive

The Seven Cities

The boat rocked steadily late into the night. The ocean waters beneath them were choppy and hard to work with however the remaining pirate crew did their best to plod forward according to Captain Silver's orders. The empty spaces where the pirates they had lost on the Cove should have been were hard to ignore. Toadstool pulled the ropes tightly to his chest and drew them down to tie them, his arms aching. His was the work of three men and yet with the loses they had suffered that day he was forced to take on more than his usual load. None of the other pirates heard him complain however and neither did he hear their complaints in return. They wore their regret and frustrations on their faces even when Captain Silver walked past. Gone was the Silver who would laugh and smile with his fellow pirates, snapping jokes and slapping his great big hands onto shoulders that looked like they needed encouragement. Gone was even the Silver who had seemed tense and whose smiles although thin were present, in the wake of Captain Hook's 'accident'. Now the crew had to deal with a Silver as surly as his appearances, he shouted orders out in the middle of the night, his voice hoarse as it cut through the fog that had risen to surround the ship. The pirates felt the Captain's fear and it fuelled their own; they had attacked the mermaids that afternoon and even taken one, taken one to kill-there would be repercussions and they feared them nearly as much as they feared their murderous Captain.

Below the deck in the lower quarters sea water splashed up and down with the same rough rocking as the boat. A tank was chained down to the sides of the ship so that it would not turn over, no matter how the boat turned about. Two lanterns, one hooked to a post and one standing up on a circular table bolted to the wooden floor were all the light that lit the space below the deck. These lanterns reflected off the clear glass that held the sea water and the monster that twisted about inside. Jim repositioned himself upon the chair he had pulled up next to the table. A knife was dancing between fingers and he twirled it without paying much attention; it was a habit he had picked up years earlier. The mermaid in the tank had entirely captivated his thoughts.

The incredible creature twisted again in the surprisingly large tank. When Silver had first proposed his plan to capture a mermaid from the Cove, many had been surprised by the size of the tank he had hidden below deck. Toadstool and Jim had both agreed, without a word passing between them, that the tank proved their dark belief regarding Captain Hook's disappearance on their journey to recover the map to Eilon. Silver had bought the tank well in advance and it had been bought with the intended purpose of housing a kidnapped mermaid; he had been planning to kill Hook for quite some time. Although the tank solidified what Toadstool and Jim had come to fear they said nothing about their suspicions, to each other or the rest of the crew. Inside the tank the mermaid shifted her body to try and get comfortable, her back turned to Jim. He saw her body shudder and he wondered if she could possibly be crying. He leaned forward, curious about this monster he had dreamt about since he was a child. Her emerald tail gleamed like a million tiny jewels were sewn onto her flesh, even in the dim light they shone. His eyes were continually drawn to the bright contrast of her startling red hair. Like an incredible scarlet flame it floated around her head as if it were a living, breathing tapestry of the finest silk. The longer his eyes played in the smooth tresses the more he wanted to draw his fingers through them and feel it. Jim shook his head and leaned back again, shifting his position so he was sitting straighter. The knife had stopped moving and he clutched the handle so tight his knuckles went bone white. That was the lure of the mermaids, their impossible physique; it was what they used to ensnare unwary sailors and bring them to their deaths. Yet the longer he stayed down beneath the boat with the mermaid and watched her curl into a small, lonely ball; wrapping her creamy arms around her tail he couldn't help but feel for the creature and wonder if the monsters in the Cove were nothing more than a bad dream. Before he knew it, he was standing and ready to take a step towards the tank. One hand was outstretched before him, the other still tightly wrapped around the handle of his knife.

A hard level thump brought him out of his revere. Another thump and another, they were steadily getting louder. Jim's head moved upwards and he stared at the underside of the deck, his ceiling, and listened to Captain Silver make his way across the ship. The young pirate ran a hand through his dark brown hair and settled back into his chair with a loud sigh. The mermaid had moved in response to the Captain's limp as well; her body tense as her head followed the sound travelling above them. The boat continued to rock uneasily with the angry sea. Above the pirates' voices were barely heard, shouting to one another as they all struggled to maintain a ship with half of its crew.

"Watch that line!" Toadstool's voice carried above the others. A distance roll of thunder boomed and the light pitter patter of rain onto the deck above. Jim nervously resumed twisting his knife around. The mermaid in her tank twisted again and without looking up, Jim felt her eyes following his knife. The blade twisted and spun with ease in his care; catching the lantern's light and flashing an amber yellow with each movement. With the feel of her gaze Jim threw the knife a bit higher with each twist until he had to use both hands to keep it moving upwards and down; a dance with an invisible assailant. Somewhat entertained he practised his knife manoeuvres with a few more sequences that he had picked up from his year growing up in the capital and his years with Hook upon that very ship.

_Tap tap tap_.

The knife dropped out of his startled hands and landed with a sharp clatter against the floor. The sound of the fallen knife barely registered in his ears though; all of his attention was fixed upon the mermaid in the tank. The creature had turned towards him, red hair a molten cloud framing her face. One long white finger was pressed against the glass and as he watched she lifted it, _tap tap tap._ He felt his eyes go as wide as hers; great big saucers filled with a blue as clear as the water in Mermaid's Cove.

"What, what.." his voice trailed off, unsure. _Tap tap tap_. The mermaid's pearly white teeth glimmered as she kneaded her bottom lip in a way Jim would almost have said seemed nervous. He swallowed and slowly knelt down to retrieve his fallen knife, never once taking his wide eyes off the creature that lay caged before him.

"What do you want?" he finally managed, standing upright. _Tap tap_- the mermaid's head snapped to the left and Jim's followed a moment later; the door leading up to the deck had swung open.

_Thump_. It was Silver. He made his way, _thump thump_, down the stairs followed by Toadstool and another pirate, Smee. Silver's one glittering eye peered into the tank with a mean calculating look that at any other time would have caused a shiver to run up Jim's spine. Following Hook's death Jim had found that Silver's once terrifying glances no longer scared him; only invoked a cold anger to burn in his chest. Silver moved closer and finally leaned up against the tank; leering in at the mermaid.

"Enjoying the accommodations?" he asked, laughing. The transformation of the little mermaid was astonishing. Only a moment before had she been staring at Jim with wide, curious eyes touched with fear. She slammed her body against the side of the tank; the force and sudden movement causing Silver to jump back. Her lips curled back to reveal teeth that were growing longer and sharper by the second until they spilled over her mouth and were gnashing together angrily as she snapped her jaw open and shut. Silver raised a fist to bang against the tank and the mermaid slammed back towards him, her eyes wide with hatred and now a terrifying, solid black. Grey skin rippled and her tail snapped behind her angrily. Jim stepped back, mouth hanging wide open. Toadstool had slipped out his sword while Smee had retreated to the foot of the stairs, eyes wide and fingers twitching.

Silver and the mermaid watched each other, calculating. The patter of rain overhead had increased, the roll of thunder closer.

After what had seemed a small eternity, Silver turned away from the mermaid. The murdering pirate let out a long sigh, heaving his body onto the chair next to Jim. Toadstool flicked the hand that held the sword toward the mermaid who snarled soundlessly in her tank, coal black eyes darting between Silver and Toadstool. The ship heaved to and fro, the steady slap of rain hitting hard overhead while the shouts of the crew became more distressed. In the glow of the lantern light the four pirates watched the mermaid with expressions ranging from fear to awe.

"Keep watchin' her Jim-Bo," Silver said with a chuckle before standing once more. His peg leg hit the floor with another resounding thump. He limped to the stairs and led Smee up into the oncoming storm. Toadstool remained where he was, eyeing the tank with his curved sword ready. The mermaid slowly turned, her eyes still trained on the pirate and his sword. Her skin shifted back to a creamy white, her teeth slowly shrunk and slowly, ever so slowly, those captivating ocean-blue eyes returned; although they were narrowed in suspicion.

* * *

_**Please review! All comments/criticisms/suggestions are appreciated!**_

_**Enjoy. **_


	3. Three: The Key

The Seven Cities

Jim woke with a start, so that his hammock twisted beneath him with a result of falling flat on his face. With his sleeve as a cloth he wiped his face free of sleep and stood on tired legs. The storm that had blown over the previous night had made sleep a precious commodity to the crew of Silver's dying ship. The sun had not yet risen over the horizon, the sky a dusty rose colour. On deck Jim reached upwards and stretched, his mouth wide in a long yawn. The young pirate continued to wipe sleep out of his eyes and walked over to the back of the ship. On his way he spotted Toadstool manning the Crow's Nest, not his usual position however since Hook's death; the state of the ship was far from usual. Jim called up to Toadstool a greeting and the look out pirate replied, his face grim. Toadstool's sour disposition that early in the day reminded Jim of his own position. With all due haste he swung down to the kitchen area of the ship and grabbed a bun for breakfast and ran back to his post. Below the deck he travelled into the small recess where the tank was kept.

The mermaid was curled up in the same tight ball she had been when Jim had left somewhere after midnight earlier that morning. Smee had his chin glued to his chest, a loud snore pouring out of his open mouth. Jim could not help but smile at the elderly pirate who had been Hook's other half. For a fleeting moment, Jim wondered how Smee was handling the death of Hook; the pirate had said little since the news of Hook's 'disappearance' and of Silver's rise to authority. Movement in the corner of his eye had him abandon these thoughts however. The brown haired youth pulled his knife from his belt and spun around to face the tank and the mermaid within. The creature had uncurled, ocean-blue eyes staring at him without blinking. Without explanation, a shock of thrill went through Jim and he felt his heartbeat pick up speed, his one hand reached up to play with his ponytail without bidding; a nervous habit that he had thought he had lost in boyhood. The mermaid lifted her hand and pressed it against the glass, her white palm beckoning. Jim did not think his hand seemed to move of its own accord until his own palm was touching hers through the glass. The two of them, both pirate and mermaid, stayed like that for what seemed like an impossibly long moment. Jim knew he could lose himself in those wide blue eyes if he was not careful.

Smee broke their moment with a thunderous snore and sneeze combined into one. The noise seemed to not only startle Jim and the mermaid but Smee himself. The old pirate's eyes shot open and he sneezed again with a great _ACHOOO!_ that shook his entire body. His nose a bright shade of cherry red Smee rubbed at his short white beard, humming.

"Yo ho ho," he puffed through short breath. Smee cracked his knuckles and reached upwards, the sound of his old bones popping quite audible. Still humming and puffing he began to stand and reach for his toes when he seemed to notice Jim.

"Eh! Who're you!" he cried, standing so quickly his bones protested with several more pops and snaps. His hand quickly shot to his lower back and another series of short puffs came from his puckered red lips.

"It's me, Smee," Jim said in a low voice, a small smile playing on his lips. The older pirate never seemed to fail to make him smile, intentionally or not.

"Me who?" Smee asked, clutching his other hand to his chest. "Why're yah down here?" On the round table next to the chair Smee had been sleeping in was the lantern with a small flame flickering inside and illuminated by the dying light a pair of circular framed lenses on long wires that hooked at the ends. Jim moved forward quietly and picked these up, passing them to Smee. The old pirate snatched them from him and with one hand slowly lifted the glasses to his face. He squinted and puffed before settling the things upon his round, red nose.

"Jim! What're you doing down here?" Smee exclaimed. Jim smiled and told the old man he was there to relieve him of duty. Smee agreed to this and clapped a hand on his shoulder, telling Jim that if he needed anything he would be up in his cabin sleeping to make up for staying up all night. At the bottom of the stairs Smee stopped and turned back to Jim who had taken up residence in the chair by the table again.

"Eh, if you see someone named Me about tell 'em to stop their skulking below deck," Smee said, eyes narrow with suspicion. Jim raised a hand to cover his smile and agreed to let Smee know if he saw anymore of the elusive 'Me' who had been lurking below deck only moments before. When Smee had left and Jim turned back to the mermaid he was surprised to see a smile on her face. He titled his head to the side, curious.

"What's so funny, eh?" he asked. The mermaid's smile broadened and she raised a hand to hide it. Jim felt a foolish grin grow on his own face and the realization shocked him. What was he doing? He slammed his fist on the table and the gesture frightened the both of them. The mermaid's smile fell and her tail curled up around her. Jim turned away and began to nibble at his hunk of bread. Above him the sounds of the rest of the crew waking began.

_Tap tap tap_. Jim started, his body jumping up from the chair, knocking it over. The mermaid was looking over at him again her eyes impossibly sad. In his chest, Jim felt his heart skip a beat. _Tap tap tap_.

"What do you want?" Jim whispered, fear keeping his body frozen where it was. The mermaid pointed upwards with her other hand and her tail flicked back and forth. Jim followed the gesture to the lock on the top of the tank. He shook his head and began to tell her he could not unlock the tank, even if he had the key. The mermaid watched him than backed away, her back hitting the other side of the tank with a dull thud. She nodded, accepting her answer and slowly wrapped her hands around her tail again. Jim felt the need to apologize though he knew it was not his fault she was stuck in this predicament, he-

"You're a monster!" Jim said aloud. _I can't forget that_, he thought, _she is trying to make me forget that_. The mermaid's eyes narrowed and she swam quickly up to his side of the tank again, one hand pressed against the glass; she shook her head furiously and pointed at him with the other.

"Me? What about _me_? I haven't done _anything!_" Jim exclaimed. He quickly shot a look at the door that led up to the deck, he was being crazy; talking to the beast-he could not let the crew know he was losing his marbles. The mermaid was looking at him with an expression that if he had now known better seemed to say; _exactly. _Jim leaned against the table, running a hand through his brown hair. _What the hell am I doing? How I can be thinking of opening that tank? She'll try and kill me, that's what she'll do. I'm not wrong, she's a monster!_ he thought, trying to convince himself. The feel of the mermaid's eyes boring into him was a factor that was really beginning to convince him other wise.

"I don't even have the key," Jim whispered. The mermaid pressed her face closer to the class and slowly opened her mouth. Jim's mouth fell open as he read her moving lips;

"_Go and get them_," He stepped back found the table so moved to the left and found the upturned chair. Jim promptly fell to his bottom and the mermaid, despite the situation, fell back as well; her frame shaking in what Jim assumed to be laughter.

Just an hour after the noon sun had risen Jim was pressed against the door leading up to the deck. Somehow with her wide eyes and thin lips wrapped around persuasive words the mermaid had convinced Jim, against his better judgement, to fetch the keys. Sweat had already begun to collect upon his brow as he slowly raised the door that would lead him up onto the ship's deck. With sure steps he raised himself onto the deck and tried to feign confidence as he strode over to the captain's quarters. Someone called his name and he raised a hand but offered no other greeting; he was on a mission. On the top deck he saw Silver watching over another pirate manning the wheel, his one beady eye was trained elsewhere so Jim continued his march across the Jim. He was just feet from the door of the captain's quarters when he lost his nerve. He remained there, frozen; paralysed with the thoughts of what Silver would do to him if he caught him. How could he not catch him? He was daring to enter the captain's quarters in _broad daylight_ and steal from the man who had killed the dreaded Captain Hook! Jim turned on his heel and walked to the side of the ship instead, clutching at the railing and staring intensely down at the ocean crashing against the sides of the boat as they sailed.

"Hey Jim, whats the matter?" came Toadstool's familiar voice. Jim slowly turned from staring out into the ocean to greet his fellow pirate. Toadstool looked at him with a look of growing concern, his lips small as he chewed on the inside of his mouth. Below them the ocean's song rose and fell while the crew chimed in a lovely chorus of shouts and curses. The song of the sea; that day it fell flat onto Jim's ears, tarnished by the bitter feeling inside his chest. A hand rested on his shoulder, Toadstool's. The pirate muttered a quiet condolence for whatever was troubling Jim and urged him to return to guarding the mermaid before Captain Silver took notice. Jim shrugged off the touch and continued to glare sullenly out into the grey waters. Toadstool stood next to him a moment longer before leaving him to his brooding.

Two days and three nights. That was all the time the little mermaid they had captured had left to live. Two days and three nights until they reached Eilon and her throat would be slit to open a cave filled with untold treasures that would surely leave the crew fat with wealth. The ocean waves, frothing and relentless, offered no solutions or consolations for his troubles. A thump of wood against wood shook him from his gloomy reflections and he turned to return as quick as he could to his post.

Below the deck the mermaid swam up to great him, eyes bright with hope. Upon seeing his empty hands and grim expression she sunk to the bottom of the tank, head down. Jim pressed one of his hands against the glass and with the other he lifted a finger and tapped three times. The mermaid's head lifted and she met his gaze. A sad smile grew on Jim's face yet she did not seem to have the heart to return the smile. Jim recalled how interested she had been in his knife handling skills and he pulled out his dagger. The mermaid watched curiously as Jim juggled his knife and rummaged through his pockets to show her a number of other odds and ends he managed to find. Delighted they revealed silently in the others company, the mermaid astounded by the actions of this strange surface dweller and the pirate amazed that something as fantastical as a mermaid could find _him_ interesting.

The light began to dim and Jim lit the lanterns which had died at some point during the day. As he did so the door to the deck above opened and the familiar thump of Silver's peg leg echoed down to greet him. He put out the match in his hand and turned to face his captain. In her tank the little mermaid had her suddenly sharp teeth bared.

"How's my girl doing?" Silver asked with a hoarse laugh. Jim felt his face go hard. Silver tapped on the tank his body tense and expecting an explosion from the captive as the night before. Smee's puffs and mumbles came down the stairs into the tense atmosphere. The mermaid glared at Silver with eyes black as night and did nothing more. Silver tapped on the glass again, his jeering smile gone.

"Jim!" Silver shouted.

"Yes, Captain," Jim replied through his teeth. Silver turned to him, one brow raised. Smee asked Jim for a run through of the mermaid's actions for that day and Jim gave him a sparse account, omitting the interactions between himself and the mermaid being discussed. The captain did not seem satisfied and during Jim' recollection of the day he returned to tapping on the mermaid's tank. The mermaid, seeming to sense his desire for some sort of aggravated response, did nothing but seethe silently; glittering emerald tail giving the occasional flick.

"Keep watching her, she's a tricky witch," Silver said slowly. Jim swallowed his venomous thoughts and nodded. Both the captain and Smee left, Smee pausing a moment before he did to let him know that he would not be relieved that night; again Jim nodded. As soon as the door to the top deck shut Jim rushed to the side of the tank, hand pressed against the glass, an apology on his lips though he did not know what for. The mermaid pressed her hand against his, black eyes slowly fading back to their usual bright blue. _Comforting, _Jim found himself thinking; _I find those blue eyes so comforting_. He shook his head and took his hand away from the tank.

"_Keys,_" the mermaid mouthed, thin lips forming the word carefully.

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	4. Four: The Thief

The Seven Cities

Light from a swinging lantern fixed to the wall from a hook was the only source of light in the Captain's quarters. The Captain himself was snoring loudly in his bed on the opposite side of the room. His great frame rose and fell with each snore, his hands crossed and beneath his head. The room was still full of Hook's old things; decorated with all sorts of fantastic odds and ends. A tapestry of red and bright blue was draped on the far wall behind the bed, a long snake skin was nailed above it; dry scales nearly translucent in the half light. On the table that took up the majority of the space in the room several maps were unfolded and four candles that had been burned nearly to their ends. The wax had spilled over some of the older maps. A small map on dull yellowed vellum sat half curled atop the others. Jim craned his neck over the table and leaned forward a bit. His mind raced as his eyes scanned the map from top to bottom, dedicating every detail to memory. That map led to Eilon and it stated they were only two days away from their destination.

Jim slowly crept around the table, wary of a collection of strange gadgets that were piled there; curved telescopes, silver astrolabes, clocks with more than two hands, and several small, spider like machines that glittered bright red. The pile shifted and fell with each movement of the boat and looked as if one well placed jerk would cause the whole thing to topple. His foot caught the edge of one of the spider-esque machines and it rolled forward. Jim froze, eyes darting between the gadget and the Captain. After a moments pause he dared to reach down and pocket the machine before continuing to creep forward. The carpet underfoot softened his footsteps so he moved with no more than a whisper onwards. Hands slick with sweat he reached out to the table beside the bed. A ring of keys sat there beside the perch that Hook's old parrot used to sit upon. Without another thought Jim reached forward and snatched the ring. The keys sang out like a sad wind chime in his grip. With his other hand Jim quickly silenced the cry of the keys and turned to look at the Captain again. The Captain snored in reply. Jim stepped back and looked down at the odd assortment of keys; the one he was looking for had a bronze talon for a ring. After another moment he found the key and with shaking hands he extracted it from the ring while holding the rest of them. Quick as he could manage with the fear that was running through him he replaced the other keys and began to back out of the room. He knocked into the table on his way out and the map that led to Eilon fluttered down onto the pile of Hook's gadgets. Jim reached out to grab it when the room went quiet. Jim did not wait for the snoring to resume, he dove beneath the table and rolled to a stop hoping with all of his might that the carpet had absorbed the sound of his fall.

The bed creaked and protested as the Captain moved about. Jim had to remind himself to breath. His heart was pounding so hard in his chest; he was sure that the Captain could hear it. _Thump_. The Captain was out of bed. His peg leg hit the floor and once he had stepped onto the carpet the sound was muffled. The Captain gave a loud yawn and Jim heard the rustle of clothing as the Captain came closer and closer to the table he was hiding beneath. Jim pressed himself against the table leg farthest from the direction the Captain was coming from. The Captain grunted and slammed his hands down onto the table. Jim cringed, his breathing hitched.

"Where's that damn map?" Silver mumbled. He walked away from the table, only to spot it on the pile next to it. Silver grumbled something Jim did not catch and reached out for the map.

"Captain? You awake?" The door to the Captain's quarters swung open and Smee's voice followed.

"Am now!" Silver yelled back, snatching the map from the pile of gizmos. He placed it upon the table, leaning heavily against it. Jim watched Smee's legs get closer as he came in and looked over again to see the grooves and knots in Silver's wooden leg. Smee and Silver began talking as Jim shivered between them, hidden. They talked about their destination and the weather, nothing that would have interested Jim had he not been caught beneath the table they were talking over. Something sharp poked him in the chest. His arm jerked upwards and he quickly brought it back to his chest, shaking. Slowly he reached into his jacket and pulled out the spider device he had picked up only moments before. An idea flashed in his mind and an uneasy smile slipped onto his face. Hook had once showed him what those devices were good for; they were no good at what they were supposed to be used for-killing rats on board the ship-but Hook had found they were useful for something else. Jim turned the spider over and dug his fingers beneath the false gem that was embedded in its belly. Below the jewel a sort of turnkey existed. Gently Jim poked and prodded until the key revolved four times around the gear that held it in place. The spider began to shake in his hand but Jim held it tight. Smee was telling some sort of joke to the Captain and the Captain was not laughing. Jim slowly, ever so slowly, crawled beneath the table to the pile of gadgets on the other side. Silver stamped his real foot and Jim froze. The two pirates continued to talk so Jim continued to move, sweat dripping off the end of his nose. The pile was just within reach; if he dared reach out from beneath the table. He did.

With a crash that was dulled by the sound of the carpet and intensified by Silver and Smee's shouts the pile of gadgets fell. Jim snatched back his hand and with the other threw the spider he had wound up towards Silver. Luck seemed to be with the young pirate as the spider device reached its target and clung to the pant leg of Silver's real leg. Silver had jumped forward towards the pile of fallen gadgets and now jumped back as the spider device began to crawl upwards, slicing through his pants as it did so with each movement of its long metal legs.

"Smee!" Silver shouted, shaking his good leg. The action threw him off balance and he fell into the fallen gadgets-which ignited two more spiders. As soon as Smee had crossed around the table to help the Captain, Jim shot out from the table. He threw himself at the door and rolled out of it and to the side. He heaved his body upwards and stood, panting and sweating against the staircase that led to the top deck. Inside the quarters Silver's shouts continued and Smee's small consolations as he tried to help. Jim's chest rose up and down with short, laboured breaths. The key was biting into the palm of his hand where he clutched it. The shouts from the captain's quarters were sure to wake the other pirates soon enough and Jim knew it. Little more time was wasted as Jim sprinted across the deck and towards the latch door that would lead him back down to the mermaid.

He slammed the latch door behind him, tripping over the first stair and rolling down the rest. The breath knocked right out of him he rolled onto his back and struggled to regain control of his body. He shivered and shook as he tried to calm his nerves and take slow, steady breaths.

_Tap tap tap_. Jim's head turned slightly to look over at the mermaid in her tank. She was pressed against the glass and a large grin was painted on her face.

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**Short chapter, sorry. Reviews are _very_ much appreciated!**

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	5. Five: The Voice

Fight This Fight

The final day was upon them. The sun rose to illuminate the world and cast it in a warm rose to begin. That day the ocean was calm, waves small and consistent. Below the surface the fish swam at leisure, bathing in the rosy rays of the dawn that trickled into the ocean's depths. A few clouds came and drifted close to the surface; thin wisps of white like the breath of some god. Headed towards a distant spec, more of a hope on the horizon than a visible destination, a ship sailed forward at a slow pace. The wind was barely present that day so the sails sagged and the crew of the ship worked the ropes and masts furiously to try and pick up the pace. The ship seemed busy as a hive despite the lack of men aboard. More than half of the crew was missing and the remaining crew members felt the loss sorely.

Upon the top deck overseeing the work of the rest of the men the captain stood. This broad shouldered man leaned to the left to take the weight off of his only real leg. The peg leg shook with the weight of the man but held. Great big hands were curled around the wheel of the ship though these barely moved as they were maintaining their course well. Four gold rings glittered on his fingers catching the rosy light of dawn and sparkling. The captain's one beady eye surveyed the deck and his crew critically. The captain had a swift mind and so quite quickly he was able to establish that there were only two pirates unaccounted for upon the deck that morning; Toadstool and Jim. The captain's one eye narrowed.

"Smee!" the captain boomed. On deck several pirates flinched. One of the pirates dropped what he was doing and ran up to the top deck. His nose ran as he huffed and puffed on his way up to meet the captain. Shiny balding head bobbed up and down with each movement he made. Once the older pirate had reached the top deck, Captain Silver asked him for the whereabouts of Toadstool and Jim. Smee could account for them both; Jim had offered to take Smee's shift with the mermaid which the elder pirate had gladly agreed to. Meanwhile Toadstool was below deck on the opposite side of the ship working on the final repairs on the row boat that had been damaged at Mermaid's Cove. Silver would have stroked his beard if he had one, as it was he tapped fingertips across the wooden wheel that controlled the ship.

"Cap?" Smee asked, looking up at the Captain through the thick circular lenses on his glasses. Silver waved Smee off and continued his job at the wheel of the ship. His gaze was never far from the trap door that led down to where the mermaid and her jail keeper were kept.

Beneath his diligent gaze and below the trap door upon the deck the jail keeper and his mermaid were rejoicing. Just the night before Jim had managed to sneak into the captain's quarters and had successfully reclaimed the key that belonged to the lock on the mermaid's tank. The jail keeper had than freed the mermaid as much was within his power to. The two had spent the night awake conversing with each other, at first wary and afraid of the other but as dawn had spilt the sky they were thick as thieves.

Jim had been afraid of what he had been doing. Following the successful bit of thievery in the captain's quarters he had sat on the stairs leading down to the mermaid deep in thought for quite some time. There was little satisfaction at his success; he had known it would be dangerous and yet he had also known he would accomplish his task. Hook had picked him out of all the boys in Palisade for his thieving skills. His ability to pickpocket and steal away with the most valuable of treasures had proven an invaluable skill to Hook and his fellow pirates. Yet the key in his hand had burned him. The key represented a betrayal of his captain. Not his true captain, to be sure; but his captain all the same. His decision to continue that betrayal by moving the only chair below deck next to the tank and standing upon it so he could reach and unleash the mermaid sealed his fate.

The mermaid had pushed the top pane of glass up and it swung to the side easily; rocking gently on its hinges. The lock had felt incredibly heavy in Jim's hands while the loud beating of his heart seemed deafening. The mermaid's incredibly red hair had emerged from the water followed by the rest of her. Jim would never forget how she had glistened in the lamp light; long fingers curled over the edge of the tank, her ocean blue eyes wide. The pair had stared at each other for a long moment before the mermaid pushed herself further up. One arm rested upon the lip of the tank while the other reached out. Jim stepped off of the stool and looked up at the mermaid; his body had shaken with fear.

"Is that fire?" she had asked. Jim had never heard a voice quite like hers; it was like a bird song drizzled with honey and showered in fairy dust. Or something equally magical and impossibly sweet. The mermaid had repeated her question and Jim had recognized the look in her wide eyes as curiousity. That began a long night of questions and answers from both parties until the dawn light slipped in between the cracks in the deck onto them and with it they felt the weight of the mermaid's impending doom.

Jim splashed his face with water from his canteen. The light from the lantern was fading and with practiced hands Jim refilled it with oil before relighting it. The little mermaid's steady stream of questions had stopped but Jim could feel the curiousity that still emanated from the tank. There was so little time left to feed both the mermaid's insatiable curiousity and his own. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought such a creature could have existed below the ocean's surface. The night had been spent with him marveling at her intelligence and her desire to learn more about the human world while he had struggled to comprehend her home in the sea.

_Tap tap tap_. Jim looked up at the tank from tying his boots. The mermaid had settled down at the bottom of the tank, her gaze on the trap door that lead up to the deck. Jim did not stop to question; instead he ran up to the tank and jumped upon the chair next to it, reaching over the water for the glass pane that swung on the other side. He gripped the side and pulled it upwards and over so that the clasps lined up. Quickly the lock was slipped between the clasps and snapped shut. The young pirate had just slid the chair back over to the table when the trap door was thrown open and footsteps could be heard on the stairs. Jim's hand gripped the key in his jacket pocket tightly; the teeth of the key bit into the palm of his hand.

Toadstool stood at the foot of the staircase. The pirate's eyes were narrowed, greasy hair tied back with a dark blue scrap of fabric. In his hands were a roll of bread and another canteen of what was assumedly water.

"Morning," Jim greeted the other pirate. He leaned back onto the chair and tried to relax his body; to seem at ease. Toadstool grunted something back and walked up to him. The bread and canteen were dropped onto the table with a _clunk_ and a _clank. _The boat beneath them rocked but the two pirates were used to the turbulence and rolled with the ship.

"Nearly there," Toadstool stated, turning his head to look over at the mermaid in her tank. The mermaid had her back to them, arms wrapped around her long, thick green tail. Jim nodded and ripped into the stale hunk of bread Toadstool had brought him.

In the glow of the lamp light and the faint light trickling in from above Toadstool and Jim shared their worries about the coming night and the imminent death of the mermaid. The topic quickly changed though as Toadstool told Jim his resolve to follow Silver no matter how he disliked the orders. Toadstool's declaration of loyalty had made Jim uncomfortable and sensing this, the other pirate had allowed the conversation to move to safer waters. Above them the calls of their fellow pirates could be heard, albeit muffled. The boat continued to rock with increasing momentum until even Toadstool, seasoned sailor as he was, looked a little green in the face.

"Wonder what kind of weather is stirring this up, sky was clear this morning," Toadstool commented as he stood. The pirate's eyes rested upon the mermaid curled up in her confinement again and his lips curled back; revealing teeth black with rot.

"My guess is ol' Triton's finally caught up with us," Jim stood from his chair, surprised by the pirate's suggestion. In response Toadstool shrugged his wide shoulders and turned to go back up to the deck. He paused at the top, hand upon the handle to the trap door.

"Don't do anything you'll regret, Jim," Toadstool said in a low voice. Jim made no move to respond and so Toadstool continued his way up to the deck; the trap door slamming behind him. A glimmer of the sky had been clear to Jim as the trap door had been open; the sky was still clear. Perhaps Toadstool was right about King Triton, ruler of the seas.

Jim waited a short while before daring to open the mermaid's tank again. The little mermaid poked her head up from out of the tank, her long fingers reaching out until they had grabbed Jim's. Jim started at the touch of her smooth wet skin but she silenced him with a look.

"Help me," the mermaid asked him, that sweet voice playing on his heart. The young pirate hesitated, his heart beating madly in his chest. A fine sweat broke out along his brow and upper lip. He swallowed loudly, unsure of his answer. The mermaid slowly pulled her hand from his and gave him a small, sad smile. She opened her mouth to say something else but Jim interrupted her, snatching her hand back.

"What's your name?" he asked, breathless. A war waged inside of; loyalty to Hook and his captain; and an ach inside of him that could not bear the thought of Silver laying open the mermaid's throat.

"Ariel," the mermaid whispered. That melodic voice sealed his fate.

The key bit into Jim's hand. Sharp teeth dug into the soft flesh of his palms and nearly drew blood. Above the trap door the sky slowly faded to bluish grey. Pirates scaled the masts and drew the ropes that controlled the masts. Silver had vacated his place at the helm of the ship and the wheel was manned by the pirate, Dacks, whom had lost his ear to the mermaids in the Cove. A bandage that might have been white once was wrapped around his head several times. The bandage partially covered his left eye and had a number of tufts of hair sticking up out of the bandage. Behind Dacks another pirate had Hook's long collapsible telescope in hand. This pirate looked out beyond Jim and in the direction they were headed; Jim supposed he was looking for Eilon.

The sky over head remained clear with only a few wisps of clouds marring the great expanse of blue. Despite this, the water below was turbulent. The waves churned and boiled; they rocked the boat to and fro in a mad seesaw game. The pirates swung from their ropes if they were upon the masts while the rest struggled to stay upon their feet on deck. Captain Silver, Jim was told by a passing pirate was in his quarters trying to read the map and figure out where they were; the rough waters had thrown them off course. Jim could hardly believe his luck. The young pirate shifted the sack of grey material that he carted over his shoulder. He maneuvered his unsteady way across the deck doing his best to avoid any more contact with the crew. The sack he threw onto the deck and swiftly rolled it over so that he had it nestled between the spare row boats on the far side of the ship near the wooden mermaid figure head. Jim rubbed the top of the mermaid's head for luck than, turning his back on the sun and their destination, continued to move across the deck.

The sun had hit high noon as Jim made his way as steadily as he could across the deck and towards the main mast. The smooth wood of the mast loomed over head and he tried to wrap his arms around the wide girth of the pole to steady his progress. A wave higher than the sides of the ship crashed onto the deck and soaked him. The young pirate sputtered mouth full of sea water. Overhead, a rope swung out of place next to the main mast. With a practiced eye Jim followed the trail of said rope until he was sure it was secure. In a moment he had shimmied up the rope and was near the crow's nest. A pirate by the name of Brome was seated in the crow's nest; his yellow complexion faded to a light green. Jim swung himself over the edge of the crow's nest and startled Brome. Brome stood with a start; hand on the handle of his dagger.

"None of that, Brome!" Jim said quickly, his back against the rail of the crow's nest. Brome took a moment to settle back into his spot, his face betraying his annoyance with Jim's sudden appearance. Jim offered Brome a flask he had filched from below deck. Bromes' eyes lit up.

"What's this for?" he asked, suspiciously.

"A pirate that questions rum?" Jim scoffed. He put his hand out to take the flask back from Brome who quickly pulled back and protested. Easy conversation flowed between the two as Jim waited patiently for Brome to finish the flask he had brought him. The rum was finished before the noon sun had moved far and that mixed in with the rocking of the boat soon sent Brome into a deep sleep. Jim let a sad smile show as he reached forward. Gently the empty flask was placed in Bromes' vest and a rope was tied securely around his waist and beneath his arms. The passed-out-pirate was quickly lifted out of the crow's nest and tossed down. Jim let him fall a few feet before he pulled back roughly on the ropes that carried Bromes' body. A shout from his left told him a pirate on another mast had caught sight of what he was doing.

"Fell asleep! Came up to relieve him!" Jim explained, his eyes never moving from the task of lowering Brome down to the deck safely. A fine sweat coated his body as he slowly released enough rope for Brome to settle onto the deck at long last. Toadstool and another pirate rushed forward to recover Brome and dragged the intoxicated pirate below deck to rest before Silver could see. The punishment for drinking on the job, especially with so few pirates available to man the ship, would be severe. Jim paused a moment to feel guilt at what he had sentenced Brome to but knew it could not be helped. The young pirate ran a sore, red hand through his long brown hair, eyes closed. There was a lot of guilt in him for what he doing. He tied back his long brown hair and shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his jacket, letting out a long sigh. The clear sky expanded out in front of him and he wished, not for the first time, that he could lead his own ship upwards and into the sky; the sail across that ocean of blue. Adventure; that was what he saw for himself in the infinite sky. His eyes fell down to the deck and quickly landed upon the trap door. Adventure; that was what he had found the moment Silver had brought that mermaid aboard. A rescue mission that forced him to betray his ship had not been his idea of adventure and yet there it was.

Jim settled back into the position that Brome had been in before Jim had interrupted him. His gaze fell back once more onto the sun. The pirate fiddled with the key in his one pocket while the other played with the heavy iron lock that had once held the mermaid captive. In a whisper, he willed the day to go by faster and shot out a quick prayer to the Gods of the Seven Cities.

A shout from on deck caught Jim's attention. He shook himself, thrown off by the dark purple shafts of light that were being thrown off the ocean's surface by the setting sun. Jim stood quickly, and the ocean responded by hitting the boat and throwing him over the rail of the crow's nest. Jim shouted, fear shooting through his veins and his eyes wild. Hands flailing he grabbed a rope and was wrenched to a stop. Right arm screaming in protest he heaved himself back up to the crow's nest; heart pounding. Eyes wide he looked down at the deck and back up at the crimson horizon; he had fallen asleep. Another shout and he felt his stomach lurch. His fist curled into a tight ball and the key in his hand bit his palm so that blood soon dripped from his between his white knuckles.

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**Sorry it has taken so long to update! More to come soon! The island is so close now! **

**And of course; once they reach the island, more characters will begin to enter and twist their familiar worlds even farther! **

**Reviews/Comments dearly appreciated! **


	6. Six: The Escape

The Seven Cities

The shout from below had Jim on his feet. Wide blue eyes scanned the deck for further sign of trouble; his gaze practically glued to the grey sack that he had left at the front of the ship. Soon the source of the shout was found; Silver had found Brome sleeping below deck. The unlucky pirate was dragged up onto the deck by Toadstool and Dacks. Jim turned away from the scene, guilt burning within him. He dropped the key into his jacket pocket and used the rag he kept in his back pocket to wrap his bleeding hand in. Jim flexed his injured hand and a shock of pain ran up his arm. The young pirate's face was torn by a grimace.

"Nothing about it," Jim muttered. He reached out and carefully swung himself over the edge of the crow's nest. Valuable time had been lost and he had to do his best to make sure he caught back up with it. The mermaid, Ariel, would live or die depending on his actions. From his jacket Jim slipped a long dagger and settled it between his teeth so he could use both hands to climb upwards. Upwards and sideways he swung from rope to rope a little slower than he would have liked to account for his injured hand.

"Nothing about it," Jim continued to mutter under his breath. The ropes he wanted were at hand. Using the dagger Jim was able to carefully saw through the ropes, leaving just enough of the fraying ends that they would hold for a while-until something with enough force caused them to snap. The small mast leaned dangerously to the side and Jim jumped from the rope he was swinging upon to another. The mast slowly righted itself. The sunset dyed the ship a bloody red, the ocean an expanse of crimson that made Jim shudder at the sight. The waves beneath them had settled some; they had passed whatever the turmoil was that had plagued the ocean. The explanation for the odd temperament of the ocean he did not know; he had been asleep for the majority of that leg of the journey.

That area of the sea had been rough for a reason though. If Jim had spent time searching for the cause of the disturbance; had any of them spent any real time looking into it beyond Silver's concerns about King Triton finding him, they would have ran. Ran from Eilon and ran to the nearest port where they would have run far from the shore and never tasted the sea again. For that particular region of the sea was the prison of a goddess. Hundreds of years earlier, when the Seven Cities had been settled and the idea for Eilon just a dream of an absent minded God, this goddess had run free. This goddess wreaked havoc wherever she went, relishing in the chaos that she spread freely. The Gods overlooked this, there were many in their ranks who dabbled in human affairs; sewing madness and mayhem for pleasure. The thing that made this goddess so unique was her penchant for ruining the work of the other gods. She would enslave humans to steal from the realms of the other gods for her until she had a wicked menagerie of monsters and trinkets that made her a real threat to the human population. The realms of each God may not be entered by another God or Goddess unless under permission-therefore this goddess worked with tricks and smoke to deceive humans into doing her dirty work for her. The Gods were enraged by this and set to punish the Goddess. A prison was devised below the ocean's surface and there the Goddess had raged for hundreds of years; boiling the sea water about her cage and causing whatever turmoil she might from within her prison. Captain Silver and his pirates were completely unaware of this though; all they saw was the clearest path to Eilon and assumedly fro Eilon. Had these pirates even a shred of an idea as the real cause for the ocean's turbulence they would not have planned to return from Eilon upon that path. That is skipping ahead though, for the moment; the young pirate hung from the jungle of ropes and sails that were the top most part of the ship. The blue eyed youth waited for the sun to finish setting beyond the horizon and his gaze followed the pirates milling about on deck as they passed the grey sack or the trap door where the mermaid lay in wait.

Jim recalled the conversations he had once upon a time shared with Captain Hook. Those days when Hook had been alive seemed like years ago to him though only a few short weeks had passed since the villainous Captain's deck. Hook had taught Jim all he knew about pirating and thieving, he was sorely missed. One particular conversation with Hook stood out to him as he waited anxiously for the next part of his plan to go through.

The night had been oddly grey, Jim recalled. The moon had given off an orange light. The ship and the ocean had been coated in an eerie glow; that like a great Jack-O-Lantern the likes of which Jim had heard of but never seen. Hook had told him that night many things, the old sea-dog had been quite talkative that night beneath the moon's ginger embrace. Stories of the Seven Cities and the monsters that lived there had been recited; tales of monsters that came out only with the moon's light; werewolves, chatter-waifs, blue-faeries, cold-sprites and mermaids to name a few. Percieus, Solingen, Perdue, Iannacci, Rauch, Palisade and Elusade; the Seven Cities given to the human race from the Gods. Hook had recounted a story that had originated from Elusade; the City of Misery.

Once, in a time beyond memory, Elusade had been a great city like her sisters. She had given much to the humans she housed and had been a source of pride for the Gods. Her four great white towers had pierced the heavens and had been surrounded by thick, white walls. The ocean had run through its streets as fresh water due to some magic of the Gods. Elusade had settled upon the shore by a mountain range that sheltered it from the worst of storms. Every year a season of snow would come and coat the city and make it live up to its name; The Ivory City. Then, tragedy struck. A series of events steeped in pandemonium sent the city into chaos and ruin. Elusade now housed only the most devious of monsters and other unspeakable forces. To this new found City of Misery a young mermaid had gone. Her long blonde hair had been shorn and her flawless body was marred by horrific scars. Pirates had vandalized her home and torn apart her family. King Triton had taken his revenge of course for the mermaids that had been killed and captured, but that had not been enough for this particular mermaid. Madelia had been her name; she had lost all of her family in the attack. Revenge upon those particular pirates was not enough; what about the next time? Was her only solace to know that her death would be avenged? Madelia took matters into her own hands and swam to Elusade. There she made a deal with some fearsome spirit or phantom of unspeakable origins. Mermaids had always been fierce creatures; with hypnotic voices they used to lure sailors right off of their ships and into the depths of the ocean. Madelia traded in the mermaids' mesmerizing songs for the power the moon could grant. Hook had described the ferocity of a mermaid in the moonlight as unparallel to any other beast he had ever come across.

Jim planned on using this terrifying trait to his advantage. The sun had finally dipped below the horizon but the moon was only a hazy spec in the darkening sky; only a short while before his plan could be put into action.

The pirates on deck seemed to have another idea. Jim shook his head to free his thoughts from the past and his eyes widened. One of the men aboard had noticed the grey sack. The man moved towards the sack without alerting any of the others. Jim's eyes darted to the grey twilight sky; he needed more time.

"Land ho!" he shouted. "Land ho!" The pirates on deck stopped what they were doing and looked up at him. Jim was too high up to see their expressions clearly but they must have thought he was mad.

"Reef!" he shouted, changing his excuse to something a bit more probable. Jim's shoulders fell in relief as he saw the pirate who had been moving towards the sack run instead for the edge of the ship. Captain Silver bellowed some order out and the ship shifted direction suddenly, throwing Jim into the side of the crow's nest railing. The grey sack aboard the deck shifted with the ship and Jim watched with mounting panic as an unmistakable flash of red became clear.

"Aye!" someone shouted, loud enough for him to hear. Jim wasted no more time after that. He snapped his arm out and grabbed the rope that he had tied upon the rail of the nest. His other hand, bandaged and still sore, used his knife to quickly cut through the remaining rope.

_Snap_!

The rope flew upwards and to the side, a hissing sound as it ran around the masts and made its way back down to the deck. The boat lurched to the side and Jim was careful this time to keep his footing. Many of the pirates on deck were not quite so lucky and the grey sack followed them; fiery red still spilling from the top. Unmistakable.

"It's the mermaid! She got herself out of the tank!" The crimson mess of hair flowed from the sack and the pirates who had kept their bodies upwards ran for it, Captain Silver at their heels.

"Weapons! Weapons!" someone, it sounded like the authoritative tone of Dacks, yelled.

_Crack_.

The ropes Jim had cut through earlier gave up and snapped. Like whips they rained down upon Jim and one caught his back. He howled, the pain striking right through him like fire. The small mast fell with the whips and crashed down onto the deck. The crew screamed and yelled; a mess of sounds that left Jim clutching at his ears; his head rang with noise.

"The mermaid!" Silver roared from below. That was what got Jim moving. Head pounding he leaped from the crow's nest and moved like lighting down the mast using the poles holding the sails in position after the fall of the small mast as a kind of ladder that helped quicken his pace. Rolling, he landed on the opposite side of the deck than the rest of the crew. The young pirate managed to stop short of the trap door. Sweating he threw his jacket off and flung the door open, sliding down below deck.

"Jim!" the little mermaid had swung the lid of the unlocked tank open and had lifted her body as much as she could over the side. Jim's mind recoiled for a moment from the terrible sight of her bright red hair cut short and sticking out around her face; a chaotic mess. Her wide blue eyes told him of her fear and, of her excitement. Exhilaration and a healthy dose of panic ran through Jim as well; his heart pounding. He ran to the side of the tank and held up his arms.

"Jump!"

"Jim, I..."

"Jump, Ariel!" The little mermaid did not hesitate a second time. She heaved herself up against the edge of the tank and swung her emerald scaled tail over the side. She fell and gave a small cry, afraid of hitting the hard floor and hurting herself.

"Doff," Jim grunted, his body sinking a little under the sudden weight in his arms. Ariel turned to him and smiled briefly, than her attention was on the trap door. The mermaid wrapped her thin, wet arms around the pirate's neck and Jim moved as fast as he could with this new burden up the stairs. He had just cleared the side of the deck when pain shot across his already sore back. With a cry he fell forward and the mermaid went rolling out on the deck.

The young pirate rolled onto his aching back and faced Captain Silver. The captain was furious, his one eye narrowed with rage. In his hand was a bundle of distinctive scarlet hair tied together with the leather hair band Jim usually used to keep his own brown hair out of his eyes. Captain Silver lifted his peg leg and placed the wooden end upon Jim's chest.  
"You've ruined my ship, boy," Silver snarled, leaning in close. Jim's breathing became labored with the weight of Silver pushing down upon him. He felt his face go bright red.

Ariel shouted his name and a pirate screamed. Had Jim been able to turn around to see; he would have seen Ariel's eyes, black as coal, narrow as she leapt upwards and onto Dacks; her teeth long and terrible.

"Subdue that beast!" Silver shouted. The pirates that had managed to clear the fallen mast and had joined their captain on that side of the ship ran to do as they were told. Jim tried to use his hands to move Silver's leg off of him but it was futile; he was trapped. Silver leaned in closer still to Jim; putting more of weight upon the young pirate. Jim would have screamed from the pain had there been any air left in his lungs. The wooden peg was driving into him, right into his heart; he felt.

Dacks' scream became shrill and another pirate joined in his cry. Silver's head darted up and away from Jim. With the sudden loss of pressure, Jim exerted all of the strength he had left in him to rolling to the side. His effort caught Silver off guard and the Captain was bowled over. He shouted something incomprehensible; a snarl of absolute fury.

Jim clutched at his chest, wheezing. He looked up and saw Ariel, the moon finally strong enough to let its ghostly light fall upon the little mermaid. Panic took his breath away again and he sagged, falling to the deck. He had unleashed a monster.

Ariel's black eyes had widened until they were two great pits of terror glaring out from her elongated, grey skinned face. Her jaw had snapped open; leaving an incredibly large maw to snap closed and shut, filled with rows upon rows of dagger like teeth. Spikes had grown just beneath her purple sea shells, black and tipped with green they continued down until they disappeared again at her tail. Her shimmering green tail which had been drawn out to twice its usual length; like a great snake it twisted and snapped at any sailors that got too close to her, more of the green tipped spikes were found at the base of her fins. With bloodied claws she tore at the pirates that barred her way as she crawled towards the side of the boat, looking desperately for escape. Jim tried to stand upon unsteady feet and fell onto his side. The pain in his chest expanded, immobilizing him.

"Get that mermaid alive!" Silver shouted, Toadstool next to him. The Captain leaned upon the younger pirate; his wooden leg missing. Toadstool's accusing glance burned Jim.

"Ariel!" he shouted weakly from his curled up position on the deck. His hand extended towards the mermaid in an attempt to help her escape her captors. The mermaid's ebony eyes passed over him and her lips curled back as she snarled. The pirate just in front of her faltered and she leapt upwards, her mighty long tail snaking forwards to support her upper half. The pirate went down beneath her, screaming all the way. The mermaid snatched up the long curved knife he had been holding and threw it out at Dacks who had been coming up behind her. Silver's second in command shrieked and fell down. Ariel was there the moment he fell and she snaked through the opening like lightning. The railing on the side of the boat barely slowed her as her green tail bowled through the carved wood and she rolled over the side.

_Splash_. The ocean swallowed the monster and the boat fell eerily silent.

Slowly sound returned, Dacks' low moaning and the whimpers of the man who had fallen beneath the mermaid on her mad escape. A low, whistling wind swept over them; carrying wisps of a grey mist that quickly moved to envelope the wreckage of the ship. The moon looked on with an apathetic face; casting a ghost light upon the devastation Jim and his mermaid had wrought upon the ship that had once belonged to the renowned Captain Hook.

A hand grabbed the collar of Jim's brown, baggy, shirt and hauled him up so he was on his feet. Another hand moved swiftly across his face with enough force that Jim felt his teeth rattle within his skull. He spat blood upon the deck and turned back with defiance written all over his bloody face to meet his attacker. Toadstool held him, brows knit closely together in anger.

"How could you?" he whispered. Jim did not let the depth of his betrayal burn him this time. He straightened himself the best he could and met Toadstool's eyes squarely.

"It was the right thing to do," Toadstool hit him again.

"You're a pirate," Toadstool reminded him, voice heavy with emotion. Before Jim could response Silver was next to them; leaning on Smee while another pirate searched for his missing leg.

"Yes, he is a pirate," Silver agreed, his narrow eye practically glowing red with his fury. His voice was strangely calm and it was this that scared Jim the most.

"He is a pirate and he will pay for his crimes with a pirate death," Jim's eyes widened and he began a weak struggle against Toadstool's firm grasp.

"No! You can't, no," he protested. Another pirate came up behind him and silenced his protests with a gag before tying his hands before his back. Jim threw his body in every direction he could manage to pull himself free of his captors. Silver's clean shaven face got close to his so that Jim could smell the rum and fish on his breath.

"At dawn, ye walk the plank," Silver announced; spit flying from his lips as he shouted the order in Jim's face. Jim's knees gave and he fell once more to the deck; numb to the pain shooting from his torn hand, aching back and bruised chest. A blindfold was tied over his eyes and the world he thought he had known, had once belonged in, disappeared.

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**Again, sorry for the long update! Reviews/Comments appreciated. Enjoy.**

**Next chapter will be posted soon; will Jim meet his watery grave earlier than expected.. What happens when the mermaid has a close encounter with the Gods.. What will be found on Eilon? What secrets do the Seven Cities hold?**


	7. Seven: The Dawn

The Seventh City

The ocean stretched out like infinity on all sides of them. A dark sky looked down onto the infinite ocean with apathy; the moon had finally set and the glow of dawn was beginning to brighten the world. The light illuminated a lonely ship rocking at a stand still. The ship was a floating wreck; its main mast had fallen and cracked; a mess of ropes twisting and turning like a viper's nest swallowed the deck and the broken boards there. Blood stained the masts and the railing that had snapped and looked an awful lot like a broken set of teeth; the sharp and splintered wood reaching upwards to snare any unwary pirate walking past. The somber crew moved quietly as a young boy was untied from the remnants of the main mast. The boy's long brown hair was matted with blood and clung to his head which swung low as he was pushed forward by another pirate with a long dagger placed against his neck. The pirate who pushed him forward looked no happier than the captive; a sorrow that had his face torn and his eyes furious. A scowl turned his twisted face even more gruesome as the captain of the ruined sea vessel thumped out of his quarters. The captain limped to the edge of the ship to meet his captive; his peg leg had disappeared in the fray the night before and a crude replacement had been called for. On another day, the crew would have laughed quietly at the look of their impaired crew mate. This morning however was for nothing but bitterness and a common feeling of animosity for the captain that had rose to power on the ship through a questionable death of their previous captain, Captain Hook.

Toadstool, the pirate who had the captive at knife point, trembled at the sight of Captain Silver with his angry red eye and the other hidden behind a hard leather patch. The tremor was not from fear but rather disgust; at both himself and Silver. Perhaps he should have listened to Jim's complaints of this man earlier, the day Captain Hook had disappeared and Silver had claimed dominance of the ship. Toadstool could barely comprehend the situation that Jim had gotten himself into. To be where he was after all that Captain Hook had taught him and given him; the boy had been destined for a life on the sea-not for a watery death.

"All for a bloody mermaid," Toadstool hissed under his breath. Jim twitched in his bonds, the only reaction he had shown since Toadstool had woken him that morning.

The captain motioned to his second in command, Smee, who in turn made a hand signal to the pirate; Dacks. Dacks was still bloody from the night before, his torso ripped by three gruesome claw marks, his head still wrapped in bandages from where he had lost his ear to a mermaid just a short while before. With a grim smile on his face Dacks and two other pirates pulled a long board forward and had it over the side of the ship where the rail had been shattered by the mermaid that had broken free the night before with Jim's help. The mermaid that Silver had captured as a sacrifice for a treasure that was said to be beyond the Seven Cities that they travelled amongst.

Jim felt the rough wood beneath his bare feet as Toadstool pushed him onto it. He felt the heat of Toadstool's hands as he released him with on last squeeze of his left shoulder. There was a cool flash as the dagger that had been against his neck slide away from his bare skin. The barely there warmth of the sun rising hit his face and he turned up to bath in it.

"For treachery," Silver announced. "For treachery to the captain and crew. The destruction of our fine ship and-"  
Dacks coughed loudly and his foot hit the plank Jim stood upon. The young pirate stepped backwards and leaned forward, he tried to balance himself. Not knowing why, Toadstool reached out and steadied his fellow pirate. Jim nodded a thanks to Toadstool, a sign of his forgiveness. Toadstool's grip on his arm tightened; he did not need forgiveness.

"Untie his blindfold!" Silver commanded, his one eye narrowed at Dacks who merely glared back in return. Smee wrung his hands nervously.

Jim winced as the bright light reflected off the ocean waters and into his eyes. He looked back at the crew, ashamed of the faces he found there. He had betrayed them. For Silver he tried to convey all of his hatred into one glare; he was rewarded for his efforts by a great hearty laugh.

"Any last words, boy?" Jim felt the gag at his mouth chaff and Silver laughed once more.

"Give my best to Davie Jones," Silver guffawed.

His face went straight suddenly and a small smile glittered in his one eye.

"Now walk," Jim took one unsteady step forward, then another. Dacks hit the plank again, Jim took two more steps quicker and then; the final step. His eyes watered and he choked back a scream; he would not give Silver that satisfaction. The last thought that flew through his mind as he hit the dark water with a crash and the world above him disappeared in an flurry of foam was of a pale face framed by flaming red hair; eyes as blue as sapphires and a smile he found simply contagious. A melody played in his head as the ocean took hold, a silvery sound so sweet it was maddening; her voice.

The ocean's grip was more solid than he would have believed; it wrapped around his waist and dragged him down. Dragged him to the side? A cold sensation fell across his face and the bubbles of air that were slipping from his lips faltered for a moment as he felt air being forced into his lungs. His body arched and shook at the unexpected flurry of life that jolted through him. The ocean water was too salty for him to open his eyes; had he chanced it Jim might have seen through the dark green, murky waters a flash of red and emerald green. Another burst of air flowed through his lips and into his lungs. Jim thrashed against the hold that grabbed his bound hands and tugged him along. The excitement and panic was too much; he threw his mouth open and screamed; ocean water clawing down into his throat. A shock of pain shot through his head and the ocean around him disappeared in a cloud of unconscious black.

A bright sun glowed against Jim's eyelids and startled him into wakefulness. A terrible cough erupted in his throat and was followed by a flush of ocean water working its way up from his lungs. He coughed and choked, retching onto the slick, wet sand beneath him.

Sand.

His hands dove into the wet sand and played in it. Jim could hardly believe it.

"I'm dead," he whispered, his voice raw from the salt water. "I'm dead," His head shot up and he took in his surroundings. A hand was raised to shelter his eyes from the beating sun. An island it looked like, and not a very big one at that, he could see the ocean stretched out for miles with no other land in sight. Lush green trees populated the island and grew amoung large rocks that escalated up to create a small mountain at the centre of the island. The sand was smooth and perfect as the calm waves lapped up to greet him. Farther in land the sand turned bleach white and fallen branches and driftwood stuck out like bones from the land. Jim tried to sand but his unsteady legs crumpled beneath his weight. His brown hair was wet and he pushed it back from his eyes, noticing the red welts on his hands.

"From the rope," he murmured. He continued an inventory of the damages to his body, the nasty black bruise taking the most of his attention as it spread across his chest and hurt even when he brushed against it.

"So...not dead," he winced at the pain his whole body felt; as if he had...well as if he had been in a brilliant fight and struggle to free a captive mermaid and been driven off a ship tied up in rope. He touched his raw wrists and the red marks that were sore next to his mouth; something had untied him and something had brought him to that island.

The island.

He jumped up and somehow managed to stay up right. The only land they had been near when he had stopped the ship...the only destination they had when he had freed Ariel...

"Eilon," he whispered. His eyes grew wide and he turned to take back in the features of the land. The world seemed a little darker as he scanned the island that existed only in legends.

Hook had told him about Eilon for ages, and more about the treasure that was said to be hidden there. The island existed; why couldn't the treasure 'to and fro the Seven Cities,' be a reality as well? His heart began to pick up speed as Jim forgot his predicament, stranded on a desert island that no one believed existed. Hook's dreams had come to life before his his very years. A tug of sadness marred his excitement; the Captain that had practically raised him would never see the island he had dreamed of for so long.

"I'll find that treasure for you Hook, I swear it," Jim promised.

"How will you find it?"a voice asked. Jim started at the sound that broke the soft crash of waves and whistle of the wind; a sound that rolled like dew off sweet grass and trickled into his heart. He spun and fell over into the wet sound, his eyes wide as dinner plates.

"Ariel!" he shouted, clutching at his heart and hissing at the pain of hitting his bruised chest.

"And when you find it, how will you open it?" she asked, her head turned to the side as she watched him.

"I...what?"  
"This treasure Jim, we'll find it together," she said, her green eyes catching the sunlight. Jim could hardly believe it.

"Why?" he dared.

"You saved my life," she said simply, flicking her long green tail in the sea foam that rose from the waves to surround her. His eyes quickly avoided looking at her butchered red hair, a pixie cut that reminded him of all that she had gone through because of Silver and the other pirates.

"You...you saved mine," he said; suddenly sure. Ariel had not swam off when she had dove off the ship, escaping the murderous Silver. The little mermaid had braved the pirates that had captured her and stayed so that she could bring Jim to safety instead of letting the young pirate drown. Ariel's melodious laughter sang in his ears.

" One good deed deserves another," she said, a smile playing on her red lips. Her face went serious for a moment, sad even.

"I have nothing left, Jim. I have no idea how to find my father, or my family again, and I've saved a human-would they accept me again after all I've gone through? Why not search for buried treasure with you? What have I got to lose?"

Jim nodded slowly; it was the same sort of argument that had him more excited to be on Eilon than distressed; why not be on a deserted island and look for treasure? There was nothing else to live for.

His face split in a wide grin and they agreed to move in land.

A small stream lead in to the jungle interior and Ariel slowly made her way up this waterway while Jim laboured on the rocky shore line next to her. It took a few hours before they broke for a small break. Jim's stomach growled and he found some small berries to eat and he nibbled on a few mushrooms that he hoped wouldn't disagree with his insides. Ariel and he conversed while they rested and Jim was surprised by how easy it was to get along with her; he was not used to having friends beyond his crew mates. They talked about their families; or rather Ariel did while Jim told her of his dreams to have one. Their dreams and aspirations; all gone now, the things they enjoyed and they shared jokes-sometimes the humour didn't quite cross the boundaries of their worlds but they laughed all the same. The continued on until night settled down upon them. The stream wound off back towards the shore and they had reached a sharp turn. The pair decided to call it a night and decide where to go the next morning. Ariel swam down to the bottom of the stream which only just covered her glittering tail and Jim curled at the base of a tree upon a bed of leaves he had made for himself.

The morning came too soon; the mermaid and the pirate woke sore and bruised, not entirely rested. However their excitement at the thought of Eilon's mysterious treasure quickly washed away their reservations and they made the rest of their plan up.

Jim stepped into the stream and soaked himself thoroughly while Ariel splashed about and swam as quickly as she could farther down stream. She took longer than expected. Two hours passed and Jim took the time to make a long pole with a spiked end, delighted to find he had a knife strapped to his thigh; a knife that had been hidden by his baggy pants. The young pirate fashioned a hair tie and pulled his unruly brown hair back. He did a number of other quick survival-esque things that Hook had taught him to pass the time; including winding a long rope from some sturdy vines he had found. Jim was pretty much decked out in jungle-made gear when Ariel finally returned.

Ariel's blue eyes were alight with excitement.

"The stream continues to grow smaller, until it grows again; there is another stream from farther inland that feeds it. It continues until a small waterfall that falls into a large body of water located on the other side of the island. The lake is surrounded by tall rock walls and it doesn't seem to leak back into the ocean. It seems like a dead end to me," Jim listened to her explanation curiously.

"Where do we go next than?" he asked, wondering about her excitement.

"A large waterfall feeds the lake! And the smaller stream comes from further up the mountain; that water must be coming from where we're meant to go!" Jim had no better plans so he agreed and they followed Ariel's route farther up the mountain.

The mountain was steeper than Jim had anticipated and they took awhile to get up the rocky face, broken only by the thick growth of trees and ferns that attracted all sorts of insects and sickly sweet smelling flowers that Jim hacked at with his long sharp pole. Ariel struggled through the thin stream, at times needing Jim to lift her up and carry her for awhile as the stream disappeared in places to a meer trickle.

Finally; Jim spotted something.

He raced again while Ariel's laughter spurred him forward.

A cave mouth! He shouted and Ariel swam forward to catch up. The trees opened up in a smell clearing and a circle of white sand encompassed the entrance to the cave that was carved out of the mountain and seemed to lead deep down into it. Jim stepped forward and peered into the gloom.

Just a few feet into the cave a stone wall blocked the path of white sand. His heart sank and he stepped out to tell Ariel the bad news. The mermaid had lifted herself from the stream and was trying to pull herself forward from the dirt and up to where Jim and the sand was; the stream feed into the rock beneath the earth through a hole so small Ariel could see nothing thorough it. They had reached the end of their trail; with nothing to show for it.

Jim walked to Ariel's side, hands swinging by his side. Ariel winced as he picked her up gently. The mermaid protested as he settled her back into the stream.

"What?" Jim asked, confused by her protests.

"The cave Jim! We've found it!" Jim shook his head, explaining the blocked entrance. Ariel cocked her head to the side, her new short red hair shaking as she did so.

"Isn't that why I was taken here in the first place?" she asked. Jim started, startled by this revelation. He laughed bitterly, recalling all that Ariel had been put through for the purpose of opening this very cave. His hand moved out of the stream water and lightly touched her smooth porcelain cheek. He breathed an apology into her wet hair. Her blinding white smile touched his heart.

"What's life without a little adventure?" she asked; he could hear the sadness in her voice and it tore at his insides. Without another word he picked her up and carried her back to the cave entrance. The knife strapped to his leg suddenly felt very heavy. He laid her by the cave entrance and took it out into his unsteady hands. Ariel lay a hand on his arm and caught his eyes.

Jim did not break her gaze as he took that same hand and pressed the knife against her smooth palm. Warm blood bubbled up and he pressed deeper; the mermaid gasped but did not look away even as Jim pressed even harder and blood spilled out between her fingers and onto the white sand. The cave around them shook. Jim pulled the knife back and used a scrap of fabric he had wrapped around his wrist to bind Ariel's hand quickly. The white sand was bleach again; all traces of the mermaid's blood had been sucked into the earth.

The cave walls shuddered again and Jim collected Ariel in his arms, ready to sprint. The mermaid had only eyes for the rock wall that protected the treasure they had both given their lives for. The rock wall began to inch to the side and away into the mountain. A dim glow of light emitted from the back where the wall had been. It took only a few moments before the wall was gone. A pale light streamed down and illuminated the otherwise pitch cave; a light that was farther in than either of them had anticipated, and deeper.

"Down we go," Jim murmured. Ariel squeezed his hand and leaned forward, anxious to see this treasure that she had been stolen from her home for. Together they moved into Eilon's cave. The darkness was nearly absolute; except for the trail of light that they moved towards. The cave shook as the rock wall closed behind them. Panic held Jim in place before Ariel's soft voice coaxed him forward again.

The stepped into the light, the sound of calm water moving slowly filling the silence of the cave. Ariel gasped as the treasure of Eilon revealed itself.

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** What treasure 'to and fro the Seven Cities' have Jim and Ariel found? Where do Silver and the crew sail to next? What adventures shall the pirate and mermaid find themselves on next? Next Chapter up soon!**

**Please comment/review! Enjoy.**


	8. Eight: The Cave

The Seven Cities

_Captain Silver bellowed out another order and the ship he commanded lurched forwards, a speck of land on the horizon growing closer by the minute. Smee, the second in command, kneeling beside him with another replacement peg leg in hand. The plump pirate unscrewed the make shift leg that Silver had been forced to wear in place of the good leg he had lost while the young pirate, Jim, had torn his ship apart._

_"Blasted mermaid," Silver hissed, the recollection of all the damage still fresh in his mind. The crew had been busy trying to fix the ship as best they could and the results showed; the ship was still sea worthy and it slowly moved forward and would soon be bounding across the waves towards Eilon. Silver had not given up his desire for that mighty treasure; especially after all of the treachery and trouble he had gone through to get that far. A cruel, cold smile played on his hard face as his one eye recalled the sight of a flash of emerald green in the ocean and a pale arm dragging Jim through the waves before disappearing below the surface once more. The mermaid had saved her rescuer and Silver was willing to bet everything he had worked for that the two had made it to Eilon. The treacherous Captain hoped against everything that that godforsaken mermaid had stayed with Jim on the island; he would need her to open the cave at Eilon. The Captain's hands flexed and his right hand reached for the long, scarred blade he carried at his hip. That blade he promised would slice the mermaid open before the cave; the death he had promised her when he had taken her aboard his ship and the death she now truly deserved after ruining his boat and taking Jim from the crew. Not that Silver was really disappointed with Jim's disappearance; he had been wary of Hook's prodigy the moment he had returned to the boat after doing the old Captain in._

_The make shift sail blew the ship on, faster than the Captain had dreamed and the island of Eilon was coming into view; a small mountain and faint greenery. The excitement of the crew was palpable; the legends of Eilon were true. Smee screwed in the next replacement leg and tapped the Captain's thigh to let him know it was ready. Silver stood up unsteadily but slowly put his weight on his new aid. He frowned and took a step forward; the leg wobbled but it was more secure than the last one._

_His eyes lifted and he raised Hook's old telescope to his one eye. The island was in view and he could make out the bleached white beaches that promised treasure beyond his wildest imagination._

Light in the tunnel was dim, however there was enough that Jim was confident about his path forward. The mermaid he carried in his arms shifted, leaning forward in anticipation. A small smile grew on Jim's face as he felt here excitement flow through her, her whole body was tensed. The young pirate shifted his grip and began to walk a little faster into the cave and towards the dull light that filtered in from above farther in. The air was getting chiller the farther they went as they were on a steady decline moving deep into the mountain. The soft sound of water lapping up against some surface was the only noise that accompanied the sound of Jim's footsteps.

Ariel gasped as they took a final step into the light that trickled down. Her wet hair glistened in the sunlight, faded and pale white from a small hole high, high up above their heads. The tunnel had opened up into a large cavern; the walls decorated with outcroppings of glittering gems in turquoise and brilliant white which caught the light and cast designs the were a delight to the eyes onto the walls. Jim brought Ariel closer to him, his breath stuck in his throat. The high cavern met at a peak where the sunlight fell in and illuminated...an empty cave. Jim's eyes scanned the cavern; for as it was tall it was small only a few feet farther and he would hit a wall.

The ground that had become rock from the sand outside was still rock; but coated in that same pristine sand to reflect the light of the sun and add dimension to the designs that glittered from the gems. Jim bent at the waist while Ariel felt the motion and responded by disentangling herself from his hold and allowing him to lay her on the floor. Her tail was coated in the white sand almost immediately, the milky appearance confusing. Jim stepped away from her, running a hand through his brown hair. The young pirate stepped slowly forward and directly beneath the oculus that illuminated the cavern. The small and tall cavern was empty of all the jewels and gold and coins that Jim had been dreaming of all of those years.

"The treasure..." he whispered, voice heavy with disappointment. His head turned back to Ariel who looked back at him with large, sapphire eyes; he couldn't help but smile at the sight.

There were seven small pools of water in the cave, they were the source of the sound they had heard as they had walked down the tunnel. They reflected the sun's weak light in a way that made them seem as if they were glowing.

Ariel shifted in the sand, her green scales making a large rasping noise upon the dry earth. The young pirate who had grown to consider the mermaid a good friend immediately went to her side.

In the iridescent glow of the first pool of water next to the entrance, he placed her. She shot him a smile to express her gratitude and lowered the rest of herself into the shallow pool. They talked about meaningless things for a while; Jim resting against the cavern wall behind them.

Soon Jim rolled his pants up and dipped his feet into the pool. Ariel curiously played with his toes and his laughter echoed up the walls as she learned what it was like to tickle a human. His brown eyes sparkled and for a moment he recalled the last time he had laughed so lightheartedly.

The moment had been, of course, before Hook's death. Early morning it had been and the sea had been unusually calm...he found himself telling Ariel about the memory instead of just reliving it in his mind. The mermaid listened intently, her head resting on her arms which were folded on the edge of the pool and covered in sand like some strange white powdered doughnut. The two exchanged more stories and tried to get their mind off of their impossible predicament and the trouble that had lead them there. Being locked in a cave far from any civilization and far from any sort of hope would have filled them with fear; if they had not had the other. Ariel slipped farther into the pool and yanked at the makeshift bandage Jim had wrapped around her hand.

"How is it?" Jim asked. Ariel shifted the wrap off and washed the fresh wound in the fresh water from the pool. Her bright face fell a little.

"What a beautiful scar I'll have," she confided. Jim laughed, the cavern echoing the bitter sound so they had to cover their ears. Blood dripped down Ariel's arm and into the pool.

The ripples the drop created were larger than they should have been.

"Jim!" Ariel said, urgently, fearfully. Jim reached out to her, his laughter still ringing in their ears.

"Ariel?" The water began to swirl around the mermaid until she was twirling like some spastic ballerina. She cried his name and he reached his hand for hers. Jim tried to pull out of the pool and drag Ariel with him; but the pool had become a whirlpool and had gotten a hold of his legs. He pulled his knife from his belt and plunged it into the sand, trying to gain some purchase on solid ground. The knife bounced off the hard rock beneath the bleached sand and send vibrations up his arm and creating shock waves of pain through him. The young pirate cried out, his hand tightening on the knife; he had learned years earlier that to let go of the knife was to give up on life. His other hand gripped Ariel's tighter; the mermaid was out of sight; lost beneath the whirlpool; he felt the lash of her tail on his legs and the faint warmth of his hand on his; the rest of his concentration was on gripping the edge of the pool. The hiss of the water and speed of the downward spiral reverberated off the walls of the cavern; creating a demonic howl that deafened him. The glittering from the gems on the cave walls now looked like thousands of angry eyes glaring down at him. The treasure of Eilon was some sort of curse. Jim screamed out and let go of the rocks; his knife still tightly in his grasp.

Water closed over his head for the second time in less than two days and the world disappeared in a mad storm of foam and angry currents. The touch of the mermaid's hand left his and he was swept under; his lungs on fire. The cave of Eilon fled and he was blinded by the murky black whirlpool they had somehow created.

_A demonic howl raised from the island sent a shiver down the Captain's spine. Captain Silver's hand fluttered over the sword at his belt._

_"Monsters," he murmured. "Beasts,"_

_"Must be protecting the treasure," Toadstool answered him, a thin curtain of sweat coating his forehead. Silver snarled in response and took a step away from the pirate that had been closest to Jim after Hook. Silver had little trust for Toadstool and many of the other pirates; especially after he had sent Jim overboard, they now all questioned which of them was next. He had stayed up late the previous night, tossing and turning; debating his decision to boot Jim off the ship. Silver knew the young pirate was still alive and yet...Jim's sullen face had tormented his restless sleep; all of those knowing glares that had held him responsible for Hook's death._

_Silver shook his head and shouted out orders to lower the side boat. The head of the ship, Jim's favourite look out place, had been ruined by the mermaid; the beautifully carved face of the wooden mermaid at the head of the ship was now torn and demented. Silver reached forward and ran the back of his hand across the warped face, the splintered wood spitting out teeth and venom. Silver shuddered at the vision that was created there; of a wide mouth filled with rows of dagger-like death, of a face pale as the coldest moon and dark, bottomless eyes that seemed ready to drag him into a hell that had been customized for him. The ear splitting shriek of the siren rang in his ears as he was transported back to the moon-transformed beast that had ruined his ship. Silver pulled his hand back quickly from the wooden mermaid transfixed to the front of the ship he had stolen from Hook; was that guilt that was running so thickly through his veins?_

_Someone called his name and he shook the notion from his mind._

_The boat had been lowered. Silver's new peg leg hit the deck; thump. Thump. Thump. _

_The Captain's one eye glowered with ambition and excitement; Eilon was close enough he could taste the treasure. Another demonic howl lifted through the air from the island and his head turned quickly to the heap of land that was said to house the most splendid treasure he could possibly imagine. The sky was a pristine shade of blue; the exact shade that he imagined it had been on the day he stolen the mermaid from her cove. The thought of King Triton exacting his revenge had fled his mind, they were miles away from the cove and had yet to receive any sort of retribution from the all powerful sea god. Silver ground his rotted teeth together; a sickening squelch the sound that escaped his lips as a response. That mermaid would die at his knife and he would enjoy the moment._

_Smee and Toadstool helped Silver into the boat and Dacks joined the captain along with three other pirates. Smee saluted their dear captain off and Silver snarled some sort of incomprehensible curse at his second in command._

_The boat's line was severed and they began to row forward; Eilon practically in their grasp._

_One last, blood chilling howl split the air and seemed to shake the bones beneath their skins. Silver grasped the hilt of his sword and ignored the fear that made his heart pound much too fast._

"Jim! Jim!" Jim woke with a start, heart pounding out of his chest. His eyes were wild as his head spun around, trying to desperately take in his surroundings. He was soaked through and through, hair matted to his skull. Jim sat upwards, coughing and sputtering out the water in his lungs as he did so. That was closer to drowning than he remembered even his first time. Something touched his side and he flinched back; biting back a scream. The mermaid, Ariel, was there; her blue eyes wide, red hair pointing in a million directions like an untamed force.

Jim panted and took her hand.

The air was hot and sticky; so thick it felt like breathing in some sort of soup. A heavy sweat was already dripping down Jim's face as he stood up on wobbling legs. Ariel stayed beneath him, her hand still in his. She wrapped her tail around herself and tried to raise herself as far as she could using her powerful tail muscles.

A bird cry echoed through the dense greenery that they found themselves in.

"Where in the world...," Another bird cry, fearsome and closer stopped the question in Ariel's mouth before she could finish it. Jim looked down at her, a strange mix of fear and excitement filling his eyes. An old stone fountain stood next to them, the water deceptively calm. The fountain rose high above them and a stone mantle at the top suggested that a statue of some kind that stood there before; there were even small brass chunks that still rose from the stone. Moss grew on all sides of the fountain and ivy and vines sprouted from beneath the mantle where once water would have cascaded downwards. Jim leaned back and looked into the water but nothing appeared out of the ordinary; nothing to suggest that the fountain had just transported two young people from an island out in the middle of the ocean.

The mermaid pulled at the pirate's hand so his eyes were drawn away from the decrepit fountain. The old stone beneath their feet opened up to a courtyard that had been completely taken over by the flora of the land; plants grew up from between the stones and had cracked it in others so that bushes and whole trees sprouted where once a bright, rich clearing would have been. Walls of stone had once encompassed the courtyard and kept the lavish fountain private for pleasure of whomever had owned it now. Now those walls had crumbled with green leaves and moss rolling and falling over the old stone boundaries. Beyond the walls Jim could see what was left of a city. Few buildings still stood more than two stories tall; and where they did it was tall pillars that were wound tight with vines that held the most exquisite white petalled flowers. Trees taller than any building he could picture towered off this lost city that appeared to spread all the way down the mountain side; threw the thick trees he could make out a pristine blue-whether it was ocean or sky he could not tell.

Movement at his feet had the dagger in his hand twist until it was twisting forward; his body following the motion that had startled him.

His blade met Ariel's neck. The blue eyed mermaid went pale and betrayal strung her pink lips open in surprise. Jim's eyes went wide and he pulled back with several apologizes. Ariel shot him a smile and continued to move forwards; slithering forward like a snake away from the fountain. Silently the pirate followed the mermaid; his eyes scanning the area and his dagger ready in his deft grasp. His brown hair was beginning to dry and fluttered around his face, he blew it away with a sharp breath, his nerves on edge.

Ariel put one hand up and Jim paused. The mermaid lowered herself until her porcelain face was level with the stone. She crawled onward, her tail scraping the stones beneath her. Jim stood where she had motioned to him and tensed as inch by inch his beloved mermaid disappeared into the undergrowth. Jim noticed the scrap of fabric that had tied her bloody hand together was caught in his belt. He retied the bloody fabric to his wrist and darted a look back at the pool. Would her blood by his ticket back to Eilon and the world he had known?

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**Where have Jim and Ariel landed? What characters will they encounter in this ancient city? With Silver on their heels; how will the pirate and the mermaid escape Eilon and the mystery of the Seventh City? **

**Comments, reviews and criticisms appreciated! Enjoy.**


	9. Nine: The Fall

The Seventh City

The sun trickled through the greenery overhead, casting the world into a green glow. Leaves rustled and shook; as the ground underfoot slowly lost its stone path and grew into the unruly jungle. Plants grew in all directions; unruly and with a sinister touch that darkened the green sun light. Bright yellow flowers spotted the green undergrowth and decorated the thick trees that stood like silent guardians in his path. Jim took slow steps forward, one hand on the knife that had travelled with him from Eilon. The young pirate tread softly, his eyes darting between the ground beneath him and the unfamiliar environment he found himself in. Vines snaked between the long branches that reached out behind and in front of him. The moment he turned around and could no longer see the clearing that he and his mermaid had arrived in, a touch of panic marred his sense of adventure. His footsteps stopped and he paused in the jungle, listening intently. Bird cries in the distance made him shudder, a few insects fluttered past and squeaked below while the wind whispered in a language he could not decipher.

"Ariel," he hissed between clenched teeth. The fear was there now, beating within him faster than the adrenaline. Without that security of knowing his mermaid was safe the full idea of their situation hit him. Transported by some ancient magic he did not yet understand, with Silver and his crew of mutinous pirates at their back and now separated in a world Jim had never even begun to imagine existed. Where were they?

Leaves rustled behind him and he turned slowly. A whistling sound shot past his ear and his head turned to follow the noise. An arrow jutted from a thick tree trunk just behind him. Jim whipped his head back to where the arrow came from and ran forward, yelling. His knife held high he darted forwards, using the thick tree trunks behind and ahead of him as his cover. More arrows came steadily now and Jim flew between them, the fear replaced by instinct. Left, right, down, down, he ran down the hill he had not realized he had been climbing. Or was he going in the opposite direction of the clearing he had started in? The arrows were faster and yet Jim managed to avoid them; continuing his maddening rush towards his mysterious attackers.

"Ariel!" he yelled, lips curled up over a snarl as he ran forward. A responding war cry was made and it set his blood on fire. He shouted the mermaid's name again and skid forward, the slippery leaves underfoot causing him to loose his footing. He shot forward and before he knew it was sliding on his hindside down the hill. The knife in his hand flew backwards and he scrambled to grab it but his speed was gathering as he tobogganed down the hill. It was all Jim could do to lean right, then lean right in an attempt to direct himself out of the way of the many trees and bushes that were coming up at him. He let loose a scream that before he realized it was a cheer. The green world was sending him on a race that he found exhilarating. The wind whipped at his face, short brown hair flying behind him like a flag; the speed grabbed his baggy clothing and sent them in every direction. Another hoot of excitement left his mouth and he crouched forwards in an attempt to move faster. All thought of his attackers, of his lost mermaid, of Silver and the cave of Eilon was lost.

"Wooooohoooo!" the young pirate slid sideways and caught glimpse of a man. Or what stood like a man; rather a great grey faced monster with white fur sticking out from the sides of its face and glowing sky blue eyes. Instead of fear, Jim leaned forwards and shot towards the monster; reaching out he grabbed one of the monster's legs as he raced past it and took the monster down with him. A shriek of outrage was quickly left behind as Jim laughed in the face of his enemy.

A bright light blinded him for a moment and the soft undergrowth beneath him gave way to jarring rocks. When his eyes adjusted he saw with momentary terror that the jungle had given way to a rocky cliff edge.

"Arrrrrriel!" he screamed, wrenching his body to the side. His clothes scrapped against the rocks and he scrapped the skin off his legs in an attempt to slow himself down. The edge was fast approaching. Jim turned again, and began to roll; the world was there, a rocky face, than the blinding light of the sun, flashes of the monster's face, of Ariel's, Silver's and Toadstool's ran across the backs of his eyelids as he curled into a small ball and tried desperately tried to think of an escape route.

A thick lash of pain shot through Jim. A metallic taste filled his mouth, and he spat as his body protested to the jarring stop of intense momentum. The azure sky and bright sun burned his eyes even though they were squeezed shut. His skin chaffed and he realized it was rope that tugged at the raw skin. He tried to open his eyes and fight the light but remained blind.

"Jim," a whisper, a song, a fresh breath of honey dipped in dew so sweet he could barely stand it. Ariel. He turned his head just barely and squinted up to see the red headed siren in front of him eclipsing the sun so a halo of gold framed her face.

The rope tightened and he cried out, a rough motion had a blindfold wrapped around his eyes. Before he could shout out in protest, a gag was stuffed in his mouth and he was pulled to his feet. The motions were hard to read but he felt as if were being lifted and dragged rather like a peculiar shaped bag of potatoes. Where had his mermaid gone? Where was he going? The sun continued to shine brightly, even through the cloth that blinded him.

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**Short chapter! Sorry about that, hopefully the next will be up later this afternoon. **

**Comments, reviews and criticisms appreciated! Enjoy.**


	10. Ten: The Third

The Seventh City

_The island of Eilon should have been deserted, as it had been for so many years. The few creatures that managed to survive on the lonely island watched through curious eyes as a band of strange animals made their clumsy way through their jungle home. Up in the tree tops looking through a wall of leaves, several small cat-like animals watched without blinking as the leader of these new monsters lumbered up the hill towards the heart of Eilon; the cave that used to attract so many visitors to the island. Until the Seven Cities had fallen into ruin; with only a few remaining in the hold of the very humans whom had destroyed the others. The shriek of the cave told the animals on the island that unwelcome guests had arrived. Many of the monsters that woke during the day had crawled out of their caves at the noise and the many more that only walked under the night's cover stirred in the depths of their shadowy lairs._

_Pirates stumbled up the hill, slashing at the undergrowth and cursing the sun that beat through the leafy canopy onto their sweating bodies. They and their captain, a hulking man who struggled on his one peg leg, were completely oblivious to the many eyes that watched them go by and skulked in the shadows that were growing quickly as the sun set upon them. Out far from the shore where a small dingy swayed in the rising tide a ship that had seen better days was anchored. The pirates Toadstool, Dacks and Burk trudged forward, each step a new curse or snarl, ever following their treacherous captain. Toadstool had one hand in front of him to steady his ascent up the mountainous terrain, the other hand he had securely wrapped around the hilt of his dagger. The greasy pirate made no attempt to hide his feelings for his captain; he mistrusted the traitorous rouge. Silver recognized this and kept Toadstool at the back of their single file line through the jungle. In response to Toadstool's judgments, Silver had his own curved blade out and ready at all times._

_Together these wary companions moved forward, their goal to capture the young pirate that had escaped them and the mermaid that their captain assured them was at the cave of Eilon as well. Silver tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword; he would carve that monster into pieces. Whether he referred to the pirate that had narrowly avoided a watery death or the mermaid that had destroyed the ship Silver had killed to command was uncertain._

The blind fold was ripped off of him. Ariel's face was close to his, her thin, cold hands cupping his face. Wild fiery red hair stood out in a bizarre frame around her thin, cold face. She pressed her lips together and he understood; _say nothing_. The little mermaid let go of his face and moved away, her tail scrapping up against his legs, raw from his fall. The raspy feel of her scales surprised him; she was dried out. Jim moved a hand over her tail and watched her winch from even that gentle touch.

The two unlikely companions were in another cave. Or so it would seem; as Jim looked up and around them he realized they were not entombed in stone but rather in greenery. The trees here had grown in some fantastic interwoven pattern forming a leafy barrier from the outside. The tree trunks grew so close, Jim had to wonder how they had entered this secret haven. The leaves rustled to their left and he stood on shaking legs over Ariel, searching his torn clothing madly for the knife that he realized with a sinking feeling he had lost. Ariel hissed weakly at his feet, her blue eyes only darkening for a moment before she leaned into Jim's side, skin chalky white. The great big ferns at the side of the cavern parted and Jim saw that there was a break in the bars of their cage; the trunks of the trees were not sewn together in some unearthly pattern there. For a moment he saw a spark of sunlight through the parting greens before they snapped back into place and he watched with awe as vines, falling from the tall tree branches that overlapped above, grew and shrunk so that a new gate was formed; a hiss of braids that looked formidable for some reason.

Jim's bare feet spread over the soft grass beneath them, he crushed a few small, white flowers reminiscent of the pearly wonders he had first seen growing by that abandoned courtyard in the lost city they had been spat into by Eilon's cave of wonders. One of those monsters that had grabbed him before he fell off the cliff was there. Two more had followed after it, smaller in stature but with similar features; great glowing blue eyes, white fur or hair jutted out from the sides of its large grey, stone face. Human-esque arms and legs jutted out from the stone face. Jim spread his arms wide and took a step forward.

"Who are you?" he shouted. Ariel moved at his feet. She shot him a look and dragged herself around his legs and in front of him. Her melodious voice filled the clearing as she shot out pure sound, hitting a few notes so high and so sweet Jim felt faint. What was his mermaid up to? One of the monsters fell to its knees, the stone face turning to one side. Ariel curled her dry tail around her and raised herself just a little off the ground. Her eyes were closed and her lips gave birth to such a heavenly sound Jim felt moved.

A guttural noise countered Ariel's beautiful voice. The monster that stood closest to them, the apparent leader, had uttered the noise. A few more sounds fell from the monster; could it be a language? Should it be, it was no language Jim had ever heard even with all the places he had travelled with Hook. Ariel paused for a moment, her eyes opening slightly to take in what the monsters were up to before she continued to sing, softer this time. The monster reached up to take hold of its face and as Jim watched the scene play out with amazement, the monster's face fell.

The young pirate's jaw dropped as a beautiful woman stepped out from behind the stone face. Deeply tanned with brilliant white hair, her blue eyes glowed with some unearthly light. The mystery woman stepped forward to Ariel and Jim tensed, despite all of his curiousity he was protective of his mermaid. The woman cocked her head to the side, taking him into regard. After a precious moment of contemplation she continued to move forward. The monsters behind her watched with their unblinking eyes of blue stone as their leader reached out to the strangers, unprotected.

The woman whispered more of her strange language to the mermaid who continued to sing out pure sound, as Jim watched her pale face moved into a soft smile and as her guarded eyes became warm he felt himself put at ease. With Ariel safe he turned to take in the dark skinned woman who had been a monster only moments earlier. The woman felt his eyes on her and turned suddenly to him. Jim's hand snapped to where he would usually keep his knife, a small cry fell from his lips as the young pirate recalled his lose.

With great surprise, Jim realized the woman was smiling at him.

"Welcome, friend," she said, standing tall. Ariel stopped singing and sunk back down, still smiling. Jim looked at her, unsure what to do. The little mermaid threw her head back and laughed, the sound seemed to have its own physical presence in that strange green cavern and the force of her glittering, untamed laughter threw his long brown hair back. The laughter was so free, Jim knew he was in the presence of some other mythical creatures; he watched the woman and wondered what beast she truly was.

"I am Kida," the woman offered; her smile as brilliantly white as her hair. Jim smiled hesitantly. Ariel's laughter made his smile grow larger unconsciously.

"I'm Jim Hawkins," Jim replied, voice rough. Kida smiled again and turned back to the mermaid, speaking in that foreign tongue again. Slowly Ariel replied, the tongue so much smoother coming from her. The monsters behind Kida removed their masks upon hearing Ariel speak their language. Jim saw they were human shaped as well, with deep tanned skin and similar features to Kida.

"What are you?" Jim blurted out. Kida turned back to him and turned to the people whom had followed her. She said something quickly to them and they turned away, their hands raised out to the trees that were woven around them. With their movements Jim watched in amazement as the trees moved and the vines untangled. As they worked to free themselves from the leafy cavern, Kida turned to Jim and he realized she was holding his hand. Her warm hand startled him but he did not turn away, amazed at what wonders meeting the mermaid had brought him..

"We are from Atlantis, Jim Hawkins. This is our city now,"

"City? Wait…Atlantis?" Kida did not answer him but instead called out to her companions again. One of them left the wall of leaves and moved towards Jim and Ariel. Between Kida and her companion they lifted Ariel and while they configured this, the other had finished opening up the trees. They started to move into the sunlight.

"Where are we going? What do you mean you're from Atlantis?" Jim asked frantically. Kida laughed at his abundant curiosity.

"We would come up to land very often in years gone by. With the destruction of many of the ancient cities, we stayed in our true city where we belong."

"True city?"

"Atlantis," Ariel murmured, that soft smile still on her face. They were moving quickly and Jim had to quicken his pace to keep up with them.

"Where are we going?" One of Kida's companions muttered something in their language and Ariel's smile grew. Kida chastised her companion in their language and Ariel's smile only grew in response. Jim barely cared, only feeling he would burst from the questions he had. Why didn't Ariel have more? He knew she was just as curious as he was.

The monster, the companion, the Atlantian, Jim was still unsure as to what these legends that were coming to life around him were, came behind him. Jim shouted in protest as another blindfold or perhaps the same one, was put over his eyes once more.

"Ariel! Kida!" he shouted. A hand covered his mouth, Kida whispered in his ear;

"Hush now, Jim Hawkins," and Jim, despite himself, listened. _One day_, he vowed silently,_ one day I will be a pirate who cannot be silenced. I will rule these legends I watch come to life. I will become a legend that these myths will tremble at. I will rule the seas._ Ariel's voice broke through his thoughts as she conversed softly with Kida in that language he imagined to be that of Atlantis.

As they made their way through that abandoned city over taken by the wild, fantastic, jungle; Jim thought back to Hook and his nights of storytelling. Had they indeed been stories? What had Hook seen that he hadn't shared? He recalled one night under the open skies over open waters when they had talked about the seven ancient cities…The Seven Cities the Gods had gifted the humans and the humans had spent so many years tainting this gift, until these cities fell into ruin. Seven Cities that had ruled the oceans and had brought many travelers to that part of the world, for the glory of these cities was endless. Especially the Seventh City, Ilisur; The City of the Gods, this city the humans had dedicated back to the gods that had so blessed them and when the cities fell, Ilisur fell the hardest. Temple of Zeus became a cavern to the blackest monsters imaginable and Ilisur returned to the gods; a dungeon for those creatures the gods saw fit to imprison so no mortal dared to step foot into Ilisur's cursed streets.

Seven Cities. Jim thought hard over these cities and all that Hook had told him of their histories. Kida's companion slipped his arm beneath Jim's and helped him down a particularly rocky part of their journey. Seven Cities. At Eilon, in the cave..the cave that had been said to hold a treasure…

"_To and fro,_" Jim whispered. There was a faint chuckle at his ear.

"Have you managed the riddle of Eilon?" Kida asked, not unkindly. Jim gaped in her direction, only barely seeing her shadow beneath his heavy blindfold.

Seven pools in Eilon, and with mermaid's blood…they had been transported.

"Eilon is a gateway to the seven cities," Jim pieced together. Kida confirmed this and Jim felt a tug at his eyes; the blindfold was taken off.

"Welcome to Mirksur, Jim Hawkins, the Third City,"

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**Will Ariel and Jim survive the journey back to Eilon from the Third City? What will they find upon their return with Silver so close? Next chapter up soon. **

**Comments, reviews and criticisms greatly appreciated! Enjoy.**


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